Sun Faded Curtains
by ChalakChalak
Summary: When Galfore tells Starfire that the citadel is in search of her and her sister, it sets off a chain of events that no one could have believed. Robin and Star based but the rest of the team play a big role as well. Title may change
1. Chapter 1

Hey, I'm back! This is my first Teen Titan story so please be nice. It is based around Star and Robin but I hate it when people suddenly forget about the other characters so you will not find that here. Raven, Cyborg, and BB all play an important part in this story. That said, there will be chapters completely dedicated to Star and Robin.

Also, I tried to make them as real as possible. Seeing as it was a kid's show, I could understand making them vey cartoon-ish. Still, this is my story so they will be as real as possible (seeing as they are superheroes and fight sludge monster...;) So expect real names as well as the de-masking of Robin.

That said, please do not flame me or anything. Constructive comments are highly sought after.

Catch you on the flip side, ChalakChalak.

I do not own the Teen Titans and I am not making any money out of it. It is only for the sheer pleasure of being able to make Robin do anything I want...giggity giggity ;)

* * *

Jump city was a lucky city, one of the few places guaranteed protection from anybody or anything, thanks to the team of super heroes who resided on Titan Island. Those with a view to the Tower were considered extremely lucky for there were many spectacles to be seen. One might catch the young superheroes practicing their fighting skills with the state of the art equipment they had or on rare, sadder events, witness the destruction of the headquarters they liked to call home. Perhaps what made the whole site so exquisite was the fact that you could take a good, long look at the splendid tower and feel the comfort it brought. That night, one could go to bed feeling safe and free of danger, knowing that whenever there was trouble, the Titans could be counted on to bring the bad guy down. 

The T was bright against the dark night sky, protecting its citizens from any trouble, looking regal, majestically towering over the small, calm city. Inside was a different story, however. A blue and silver car appeared out of nowhere, coming out from behind steel doors that swished when they opened. The car was parked and shut off, the deep purring halting to a stop. The five Titans, all of them teenagers, stepped out of the car, all of them in various states of exhaustion. Yet, one of them looked more angry than exhausted. This was Robin, the leader of the Teen Titans, ex-sidekick to the legendary Batman, Boy Wonder extraordinaire, and at the moment, a very, very pissed guy.

He was quite a sight when angry. Though he was not significantly tall, he was tall enough for his age. Not that he would grow up too much in the future. He had the body of an acrobat, lithe and compacted but one could not be fooled by this (as so many were). The boy packed quite a punch—and kick. He possessed incredible power, both physically as well as mentally. He was very intelligent, quick witted, and fearless. The guy would leap off a roof in pursuit of a bad guy and think about how not to splatter his brains all over the ground on the way down. His knowledge of almost every martial art gave him a great advantage over dim witted villains who only cared about themselves and of course, money.

Though most of the time, he was the spitting image of calm, this was not one of those times. His face, handsome even though his eyes were hidden by the mask he always wore, was a mask of a tempest.

"Chill, man," yawned Cyborg, looking as if he needed a good night's rest. Seeing as they had to get up at three in the morning to stop a raving lunatic who wanted to rob a convenience store, he had a good reason to look so tired. At seventeen, he was the oldest of the Titans. Half man, half machine, Cyborg was anything but uptight. He was probably the most easy-going person out of all of them, save Beast Boy. Together, Cyborg and Beast Boy kept the team from drowning themselves in their problems and darkness with their light-hearted comments. Their jokes and fights left a smile on everyone, even Raven (though she will deny it until her last breath).

"Yeah, give her a break," said Beast Boy sleepily, "She was just–" yawn "um...what was I saying?"

Raven slapped him softly, just because she was tired. Beast Boy and Raven were as different as you could get. While Beast Boy was extremely comical, Raven was the very definition of an introvert. Not that she had a choice over it. Her powers were controlled by her emotions and so, she had to keep them under control. One slip and she could annihilate the entire world. Such weight was lessened off her shoulders by her friends' airy attitudes about her. They would try to make her laugh, even after provoking her anger and facing her wrath of having their buttocks burned off. Still, she was glad for her friends. She could turn to them during her dark times and though she felt close to all of them (yes, even Beast Boy) she had a special connection to Robin. His own darkness gave her comfort on her own and they could relate to one another better. She could even go as far as to say she loved the boy, even though he could be extremely over protective and commanding at times.

Like now.

"Lay off her, Robin," she said wearily, taking her hood down to reveal a pair of sleepy dark blue eyes, "can we get some sleep now?"

"You guys go ahead," said Robin sourly toward them, then turned to look at Starfire, "Roof, now!"

"Well—bye,"said Beast Boy quickly and in a flash, all three of them disappeared, leaving a dusty trail in their leave. Starfire sighed sadly and followed Robin up to the roof. They did not utter a single word as they got into the elevator and rode it all the way up to the roof. When the elevator doors opened, a sharp burst of cold wind hit her squarely. She followed Robin out to the very edge on the Tower and stood behind him, facing his back as he leaned over, placing his wight on his hands.

He stood quiet for a few moments before speaking.

"Starfire, do you realize what could have happened tonight?" he asked quietly and she knew him well enough to know he did not expect an answer, "You could have gotten killed."

"I was merely doing my job, Robin," she explained calmly, her hands clasped together in front of her, staring at Robin's back. She heard him sigh deeply and waited for him to speak. He finally straightened his back and turned to face her. His eyes, had they not been hidden, would have been blazing into her own.

"Your _job_ is not to put yourself in danger," he said, chiding her as if speaking to a small child.

"I was protecting those two women," she said reasonably, walking up to him. She noticed their height difference as she looked up at him slightly and it always made her heart light. They called it their height swings. When she had first set foot here on Earth, she had been considerably taller than the Boy Wonder. She had remained that way for some time until he got his own growth spurt and suddenly, she found herself looking up at him. He had milked this for all it was worth, calling her 'shorty' or 'little one'. Then, a few months after that, she had grown herself and they were back to the beginning. Though Starfire was kind at heart, even she couldn't contain herself and made fun of Robin as much he had. But yet again, Robin had grown a little and she concluded that he would grow even more in the upcoming months. Still, as a Tamaranian, she knew that one day she would probably reach the normal Tamaranian height of 5'8'' and though she didn't know how tall most Earth boys grew, she knew she would tower over Robin for a long time.

They were all growing at their own paces. Raven had grown taller as well but she was still shorter than anyone else, ever since Beast Boy had gotten his own growth spurt. For weeks, he paraded himself around, making fun of Raven as Robin had made fun of Starfire. Though, while Starfire was willing to accept it, Raven was less than happy about it. She threatened Beast Boy on several occasions, with unthinkable things that would have made anyone cringe in fear and back away instantly. Not Beast Boy. He proceeded to annoy her, stretching himself to his full height when talking to her. Needless to say, she had gotten angry and unleashed her annoyance on him, causing his rear end much pain and making him unable to sit down for days on end.

Still, their personalities hadn't changed much from when they were younger. Certainly, Robin was just as serious about his work as he always had been.

"Protect them by taking them out of the burning building," he said persistently, "Not shielding them with your own body."

"There was no time," she reasoned back only to have Robin scoff at the comment.

"You're very agile, Star. You could have easily shoved them out of the burning wood's way. You could have called for back-up or something—"

"Robin," she interjected, noticing he was pulling at anything he could think of, "I will be more careful next time."

His gaze remained on her but it lessened in force. He nodded, feeling his heart lighten as she smiled sweetly at him, her red hair shining in the moonlight though her hair did not need the moonlight to shine.

"Ok, then. Go get some sleep," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"And you?" she asked as they began to walk back to the elevator. He nodded, pressing the button to call the elevator.

"I have to put the case in the computer and in my own personal files."

"Can I help?" she asked tentatively, hoping she wouldn't have to fight him to let her help him.

"No, it's all right," he said, waving his hand nonchalantly, "You get some sleep. It's been a long night."

"Exactly," she said triumphantly, "You should also get the shutting of the eyes. So I will help you with your work."

"You're going to be all relentless about this, aren't you?"

She smiled, nodding to confirm his words. He sighed but couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips.

"Well, I could use the help just for tonight–"

She giggled as they entered the elevator. When she finally noticed one day that Robin not only obsessed about villains but something humans called 'taxes'. Even superheroes, he had said to her, don't escape the villainy that's called taxes. Though it took her some time to really comprehend all of it, she had proved herself to be most helpful. In Tamaran, mathematics was a very big deal to her family. As future Queen, she had to know military strategy, mathematics, and had to be extremely secular or else, she would fail at her job. She had not said anything about this to Robin, though. Even though he knew she had been princess, she didn't find the need to tell him all about her life before she was sold.

They walked to his room in silence. They were comfortable enough with each other to not have that need to talk all the time. Their moments of silence were more than enough. Instantly upon entering his room, he headed straight for his computer. The room's light was not on but two individual lamps were on, one by his computer, the other on his desk. His bed was on the other side, plain as it could be. The table was a mess, filled with papers and pictures. Below the table rested a cabinet full of files, filled to the brim with notes and whatnot. She sat down on the comfortable chair and went to work. Robin was already typing furiously on his computer, stopping only when he needed to check something. His concentration was unwavering, totally focused on his job. It was funny that he was this way when hanging with his friends. Work was never on his mind when he was playing on their gamestation with Cyborg or when they were all playing cards. He focused on his friends then, never even wondering about what needed to be done or filled out.

Starfire quietly continued her job, taking out a pack of stapled papers and started filling them out.

**'Name of Criminal (if know)'**

**'Pseudo'**

**'Age (If know)'**

**'Crime committed (be detailed on items stolen or damaged _by_ the criminal)'**

**'Damages to the city (specify damage done as best as you can, including car damages and street damages as well)'**

The questions were endless. The city paid for most of the damage but the Titans had to pay as well. After all, they defended the city by using cars innocently parked on the street, countless streets were torn apart, and buildings were often damaged in the fight against evil. When there was a fight going on, people instantly knew to get out of the way and the police helped set a radius around the Titans so no one could get injured. Unfortunately, casualties were not uncommon but the Teen Titans tried their hardest to be very careful at first. Once they were sure the perimeter was clear of any civilians, then they let their strengths lose to bring down the bad guys as quickly as possible.

Starfire asked Robin a couple of questions but besides that, they did not speak. The room was dark for Robin's curtains were shut tight, not allowing the moonlight to filter in. Starfire tried her best to stay awake but her eyes were slowly closing. She was nearing the end, doing the calculations in her head and jotting them down. She needed to be coherent enough to get this all over and done with. Still, her mind became drowsy and before she knew, she had dozed off.

Robin finished a few minutes after Starfire fell asleep and unknowingly spoke to her. When she did not respond, he tore his eyes away from the computer to look at her. Her head was burrowed in her arm, her hair spilling over the table in a tangled mess, reelecting the lamps' light. Her breathing was steady and rhythmic so he knew she was fast asleep. He got up, saving the information in the computer and hitting the sleep button. He walked over to her quietly, his eyes resting on her peaceful face. She was quite beautiful, he would never in his life deny that. Still, was it right that he felt more than friendship for his best friend? He supposed it was bound to happen. Even on the first day he met her, when she was blowing things up in the middle of the city and yelling at him in her alien language, he knew she was special. It was one of those things that one just knows.

Robin did not want to interrupt her sleep but he knew he couldn't just leave her here. He stirred her gently, saying her name softly and wondering why in the world he was whispering her name when his intent was on waking her up. She awoke, looking disoriented but once she saw Robin, she smiled.

"I am awfully sorry, Robin. I'm just so tired–"

"No worries," he smiled back, "I'm going to sleep as well so go get some rest."

She nodded, rising from the chair and straightening her hair. He walked her to his door and said their goodnights.

Once she left, he ran his hands through his hair and walked back to the table. She left her scent there, reaching his nostrils and making him feel warm inside. He had known for a long time about his feelings for her. He was not an idiot; he was just a boy. Terrified as he was about the way he felt, he knew he could never be with her. For his own reasons, he knew better than to pursue something else with her. It was not just the fact that villains would take advantage of it (as he so feared would happen with Slade) but he knew, deep down, she deserved better. Not that his self-esteem was low. In fact, he was probably as cocky and arrogant as every boy his age, perhaps more since he could wrestle a two-ton mammoth of a villain to the ground in seconds. Still, he was intelligent enough to know that even as a friend, he had hurt her more than she deserved. He'd probably completely destroy their friendship if they became something more.

He looked over the file, sitting on the chair she had currently been occupying, and preparing to finish the papers. He noticed, with a smile, that she had indeed finished everything on the form. All he needed to do was sign it. He did so and placed it inside an envelope, ready to be mailed.

Leaving it on his desk, he rose and started to take off his cape, throwing it on the edge of his bed.

He usually slept with his uniform on, in case trouble started as it had tonight, but most of the time, h e was too exhausted to change into sleepwear. He crawled under his covers, getting comfortable and removed his mask, placing it on the nigh table next to his bed. He rubbed his eyes and turned, burying his face in his pillow as sleep overtook him.

* * *

All of the Titans awoke late the next morning. They were thankful that no idiot had decided to commit any crimes so early in the morning since they would have beaten his butt to a bloody pulp. Starfire was the first to wake up, or at least, to enter the Common Room. She knew Raven woke up early as well but she usually stayed in her room, meditating in peace and quiet. She was in her uniform already, fresh from her morning shower and giddily started to make breakfast for her teammates, even though it was well past noon. Robin had been kind enough to teach her how to make edible Earth food and if she followed the recipe, she was actually a very good cook. Turning on the coffee maker, she continued her task, putting a pan on top of the flame and adding a little oil. The robust smell of coffee soon enveloped the kitchen as she began frying eggs and bacon. She filled a kettle with water and placed it adjacently with the other pan.

She hummed softly as she cooked, knowing very well she could not sing well even if her life depended on it. That did not deter her, though and she continued to hum a random tune she had heard somewhere. She prepared Beast Boy's meal last, since tofu is not a resilient food. She made a tofu veggie omelet along with a fruit salad in the shape of a smiley face. The kettle began to whistle and Starfire rushed to turn off the fire.

As if on cue, Raven entered the Common Room and headed straight for the island table in the kitchen.

"Great morning, Raven," chirped Starfire, handing Raven her cup of hot water along with a small glass jar containing her tea. She mumbled her own hello and proceeded make her tea, sipping it with pleasure.

Starfire had already turned and finished preparing the dishes, continuing to hum.

"I trust you slept well, Raven?"

"Eh," came her response, "You?"

"I slept very well," Star answered her happily.

"Yo helped Robin finish his duties last night, right?" asked Raven, not in a curious way but more like stating a fact that needed to be confirmed.

Starfire nodded absently, cursing in Tamaranian as grease jumped from the pan and stung her arm painfully. Raven stayed quiet Starfire placed the food next to Raven, expecting her friends to arrive at any moment. She was right.

"Food!" Cyborg said excitedly, rushing to seat down in front of his plate.

"Tofu!" yelled Beast Boy and laughed when he saw the happy face salad.

Cyborg happily munched on his food, thanking Starfire with a mouth full of bacon and eggs. Disgusted by the boys' eating habits, Raven got up and went outside, probably to get the paper. Her powers made it easy to get from the tower to the city and though it was too early to use so much of her power, she happily did it for the newspaper. Robin entered the Common Room a few minutes later, also drawn by the smell of food and thankfully accepted the cup of coffee from Starfire.

"Good morning, Robin," she greeted him cheerfully.

"Hey, Star."

He sat down next to Beast Boy and accepted the plate of eggs and bacon. Once her friends had their supplements, she went into the fridge and took out her bottle of mustard and apple juice. After pouring herself a cup, she took the toast out of the toast maker and with her mustard in hand and juice in the other, she sat next to Robin and proceeded to spread mustard all over her bread. She took a happy bite out of it, sipping her juice in silence. No one commented on her strange tastes anymore, they had all gotten used to seeing her eat things that most of them would never even dare touch. After all, it was just Starfire.

Once they were all done, Cyborg placed the dishes on the sink and looked at them with a dark expression.

"All right, y'all, the moment of truth."

He disappeared under the sink and took out a spinner with their names all around it. Everyone gathered around the table, looking at the spinner as if it had the worst kind of disease ever imagined. Cyborg spun it with great care, a scared look upon his face. The arrow began to slow and everyone held their breath. It went around and around and around until it stopped on the name of------

Robin.

Everyone but Robin let out a huge breath. Raven went back to her newspaper, looking relieved. Beast Boy laughed at Robin, heading over to the television and installing his gamestation, much to Raven's dislike. Cyborg also laughed and clapped him on the back,

"Sorry, man," he said, though he did not sound sorry at all.

"Yeah, yeah—" said Robin, displeased ash e got up.

"Worry not, friend," offered Starfire, "I tried not to use too many dishes."

"Thanks, Star," said Robin with a smile and went toward the sink. Starfire walked over to the couch and sat next to Raven, looking at the two boys argue over the game.

"You think you can beat me----but you can't!"

"Hey," said Beast Boy resentfully, "I did it once."

"Yeah," said an indignant Cyborg, "because you concealed my eyes!"

They continued to argue, their voices filling the tower. Raven would continue to read her newspaper until the very last page, skipping over the entertainment section. Starfire spotted Silky squirming around under the couch and picked him up, asking him in a baby voice if he was hungry. He nodded, trying to lick her face but she pulled him away. She got up, heading over to the kitchen once more. She opened a cabinet and took out a can of tuna mixed with celery and pieces of papaya. Starfire had just recently discovered he liked this mix of food the day that she had been eating it in front of the television. She poured it in a bowl and put it on the floor, content in watching her bongorf eat it so happily. Robin was done with the dishes and glanced at Silky with a strange expression on his face.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked carefully, as if he did not want to know the answer. Star nodded and smiled when his face turned to disgust.

"It's actually really goo, Robin," insisted Starfire, watching Silky, "it tastes just like the rokifas's on my home planet."

"Yeah–" he said slowly, "I think I'll pass."

Laughing, Starfire watched as Robin sat next to Raven, picking up the sections of the newspaper she had already finished with.

A normal day for the Teen Titans continued, peacefully and undisturbed. After Raven finished her newspaper, she went to a corner to meditate.

"You in?" she asked Star, who nodded gleefully.

Raven assumed her position, already floating and hand mundra in place. Starfire mimicked her though her own hand mundra was different. Hand mundras were a very important part of their meditation. Each finger represents one of the five elements. The thumb is fire or energy, the index is air, the middle finger is sky and ether, the ring finger is Earth, and te pinky is water. When they touch each other gently, the energy starts moving from your fingers throughout your body, alleviating you from any troubles you may feel at the moment. Raven's mundra is the one used most by The Buddha, where the thumb and index finger touch to join fire with air. It is the mundra of harmony, peace, and knowledge; the perfect mundra for Raven.

Star's mundra joined fire with earth and it promotes the flexibility of the mind, helps one become open minded and experience things of a different kind of bliss. Like all mundras, it also promotes peace and harmony.

Raven closed her eyes and began to breathe rhythmically. Starfire joined her in breathing exercises and soon began chanting along with her.

Everyone was busy with their own activities to notice the computer blink. It was not a distress call but a message. So when a huge face lit up the screen on which the boys were playing their racing game, it gave them all a huge scare. Cyborg and Beast Boy hid behind the couch as Robin nearly choked. Raven and Starfire fell from their height but whilst Raven fell out of fright, Starfire fell out of surprise----and worry.

"Galfore!"

* * *

Please Review. 


	2. Chapter 2

DUDES! School is a prison where they want to kill our spirit by forcing us to study and take away our much necessary writing time!!

AHHH! It's killing me, seriously...

Standard rules apply and the only reason to write this story is for my own sick pleasure...

* * *

Galfore's face looked huge on the screen but it brought Starfire a great happiness to see him—as well as fear. Raven was the first to recover from the fright and went over to the computer. She scanned the screen and informed the rest of the Titans that it was a recorded message. Pressing a few buttons, the screen flickered and the message relayed. It warmed Starfire's heart to hear her G'norfka speaking in Tamaranian, something she had not heard in such a long time but the message he sent was not a good one. Not at all. Starfire was the kind of person whom you could just know by the look on her face what was happening inside of her. This was no different from the other times. She looked torn between joy and anxiousness. The rest of the Teen Titans had no choice but to wait until the message ended to bombard Starfire with questions. The message itself was short but it gave a lot of information in that short time. Once the screen had flickered off, the image of Galfore's worried voice and even more worried face lingered, both on the screen and on their minds. 

"Star?" questioned Robin carefully. Starfire tore her eyes from the screen and tried to focus her eyes on her friends. She succeeded and proceeded to tell them what her G'norfka had said in a strangely calm voice.

"He informs me that I am being– sought after by the Citadel and the Gordanians. He also suggests that I should leave Earth as fast as I can. They know I'm here."

"What?" cried out Beast Boy, his eyes almost bugging out of his skull, "you mean those nasty whatever-dians are coming back to Earth?"

"Not if I leave," said Starfire quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"Wait a minute," said Robin hastily, shaking his head, trying to understand all of this information but he was utterly confused, "Why are they looking for you now, out of nowhere?"

Starfire raised her head to look at him, a sad mournful look.

"No Robin, they have been looking for me for a long time," she glanced at the screen and sighed, "The moment I escaped, they started looking for me. But you see, we were light-years away from Earth. It took me an exceedingly long time to reach Terra-Firma but I knew I had to get as far away as possible."

She stopped though the Titans could tell she had quite a story to tell, one that they had never bothered asking before. They were all allowed their dirty little secrets but when it came to endangering the Earth, that's when they could no longer afford it. Raven was the first to speak of other business, sensing Starfire's hesitation.

"Robin, it's two o'clock."

Robin tore his eyes away from Starfire to look at the Hello Kitty clock Starfire had insisted upon mounting on the wall.

"The greeting feline is most amusing," she had happily told him as she admired the cat's eyes going back and forth every second that passed. Robin, who had always known he was totally 'whipped' (as Cyborg had said once or twice) by the gorgeous alien, had agreed with her.

"We'll finish this later, Star but as far as I care, you will not be leaving Earth, you understand?"

Starfire knew Robin was upset with all this confusing information and angry at the very idea of her leaving but she nodded nonetheless. He did not need to know at the moment.

"Let's go, Titans."

* * *

Part of being a superhero was getting all the cool and expensive gadgets. They were given state of the art machinery of every form, from High-def TV to rocket cars. And while this was one of the perks of being a superhero, the downfalls were all the appearances they had to make. Now, superheroes are usually people-friendly. Batman's alter ego had to always make an appearance and mingle with high society. This did not mean he enjoyed it, of course, but it was to keep up appearances. Robin had been forced to do the same, though he never did enjoy being 'the future heir of the Wayne billions.' He hated it, in fact, and it had been from this (among other issues he did not really want to say) that he had separated himself from Batman. They had left on semi-good terms, as good as you can get between the two stubborn and emotionless men. Batman funded the Teen Titans and it had been his money that built the tower, his money that had paid for Robin's R-cycle, and his ever present presence in Robin's life is what made Robin want to be so fiercely independent. He had been so sick and tired of being looked upon as the sidekick to the greatest crime-fighter out there but at the same time, it was because of the greatest crime-fighter that Robin was as agile and as strong as he was. Torn between admiration and resentment, he disentangled himself from the overpowering shadow of the Bat and tried to make his own mark in the world.

Still, it was time like these that he wished he would be back with Bruce. He knew how to socialize with people while Robin always found these events excruciating. However, it was the city that paid for most of the damage done by the Titans when they fought the bad guys. They paid for the damages done to the buildings and streets so, in a sense, the Titans owed the city as much as the city owed the Titans. Today, the event was an opening dedicated to the Teen Titans. A martial art after school program for younger kids, all of them who admire the team of superheroes and want to be just like them.

The building itself was a two-story building, equipped with everything one would need to learn martial arts and the trainers were some of the best in the city. All the Titans needed to do was be in some pictures and cut the ribbon. An easy task, of course. But not to them. They were used to the bombardment of photos but they were always caught off guard. So when they stepped out of the T-car and the lights went off around them, all the team could do was try to blink away the stars from their eyes.

"Robin, is it true that you have been thinking of going back with Batman?"

"We have heard of the city's health department that the sewer pipe opened up by Plasmus was contaminated. Any word on that—?

"Teen girl weekly here. Starfire, what do you do to keep your hair so shiny?"

Robin groaned as they walked along the red carpet, feeling embarrassed by all the attention and quite annoyed as well. Starfire smiled and waved at the cameras, her natural beauty and charisma coming out effortlessly. Ravens had her hood on so no one could see her face but if one could, no doubt she'd be glaring at all the reporters. Cyborg paid no mind to them, walking as if he couldn't hear them. He was always like this, probably the only one who wasn't too affected by the paparazzi. Beast Boy enjoyed himself the most. He posed for pictures, striking a new pose every few minutes. The media went on a frenzy with him and it was only when Raven tanked him by his collar that they continued down the death row.

The mayor shook their hands as they got on the podium, thanking them for coming and whatnot. He began to speak once the school bus full of children had arrived and all the kids disembarked. They were at the front row, looking up and the team with awestruck eyes, their faces lighted up with admiration. Robin barely heard the speech, way too preoccupied with the information he had received today. He knew about Starfire's past but just the basics. She had never wanted to go into detail and he had never pushed her. He knew what it was like to not want to wallow in your past, much less have someone else do it as well. Still, it was about time she came clean with what had happened to her. He knew he probably wasn't going to like it. Anything that hurt her hurt him as well and it looked as if she had been hurt, badly.

"Robin," said Cyborg, shaking his shoulder, "the kids."

"Uh—"

The children had mounted on the podium, looking up at Robin with fascination but staying a distance away from him.

"The small children have been allowed to talk with us, Robin," said Starfire, coming up from behind him and kneeling down to the children's level.

"Hello, minuscule humans!" she said excitedly and instantly attracted most of the girls with her warmth. Seeing the girl's example (and Starfire's non-threatening greeting) the rest of the children quickly warmed up. Most of the boys went up to Cyborg and Beast Boy, asking them a million questions that only children could think of. Cyborg gladly showed off his weapons and gadgets, giving them an explanation on everything. Though the children probably didn't know what a level six generator was, they nodded knowingly and oohh'ed when the gadgets appeared out of his system. Beast Boy was right by Cyborg, laughing heartily at some joke a young boy had just told him. He countered that joke with his own and the children were easy to laugh. Feeling extremely good with himself, Beast Boy continued his antics, feeling right at home with the quick-witted boys and girls around him. Raven, who was not a kid person at all, had her share of ankle-biters. They surrounded her but kept their distance. As children, they could feel the aura of a person but with their innocence, they did not fear her. They asked her questions as well, to which she gave short answers to but they were not deterred. In fact, they were more drawn to her because of her mystery.

"I want to be just like you when I grow up, Miss Raven," said a little girl, her dark green eyes staring right into Raven's own blue pairs.

"Maybe not exactly like me," she responded.

Starfire had mostly girls but some boys had come to her as well. Even though they were young, they paid her compliments on her looks. Starfire's very much a child herself in some ways and was completely lost in the children's world, oddly fascinated by the answers to her questions.

"I see. So when you 'ring around the rosy' your pockets become full of 'posies', yes?"

Robin attracted a mix, both young boys and girls. They commented on Robin's adventures, telling him how cool it had been when Robin whammed Cinderblock with his 'staff-thingy.'

"Thanks–"

He looked around them, feeling uncomfortable under their stares.

"How can we be like you, Mr. Robin?" asked a small girl with bright red hair, long enough to reach her waist. Her eyes sparkled with innocence as she looked up at him.

"Well," he started, kneeling to her level and she walked up to him to look straight in to his covered eyes, utterly fearless unlike the rest of them were, "you eat your vegetables—and you practice your skills as hard as you can– and..."

"Why did you start fighting, Mister?"

"That's a stupid question, Lily," said a boy from the crowd around him, "He just did."

"It is not a stupid question," said Robin chidingly to the kid, then turned to the girl with softer eyes. What could he tell her? That the only reason he donned on the Robin suit was to get revenge, to try to settle his own personal vendetta, or that it all started that night when he had witnessed his parents fall to the ground, to their deaths?

"I wanted to help kids like you grow up in a safer place, a much kinder place than what I grew up in."

The little girl seemed to sense his sadness, only as children could do with their uncluttered mind and smiled at him, trying to comfort him. To Robin's great surprise, it did.

The children were soon grouped again and left their heroes, waving at them and shouting their good-byes. The Titans waved back, not as hesitantly as they had been before.

The time had come for them to cut the ribbon. Robin held the giant scissors in his hands, feeling odd to say the least, with the rest of the Titans behind him. As soon as he cut it, the flashbulbs went off once more, blinding Robin fully. With that part of the ceremony done, the Titans were allowed to leave. However, they decided to stay a little while longer, only to see the children enter the school for their first lesson.

* * *

They left the site once the sun had started setting, tired and in need of food. They bought two large pepperoni pizzas and one large vegetarian for Beast Boy and headed home. They arrived home with no problem and once they had settled down on the couch with the three boxes of pizza, they looked at Star expectantly.

"You don't have to talk about it today, we just want----"

"No," Starfire interrupted Robin, smiling at them, "I will tell you but understand that I will be vague about my situation. It is not that I do not trust you," she added hesitantly, "It is just hard for me."

"We understand," said Raven, nodding her head and taking a small bite out of the vegetarian slice.

"Well, to fully understand my situation I must start with a little history on my parents. They were the Royal family and had been ruling over Tamaran for some time. Now, it is very common for the royals to get married to people they haven't met before. In fact, most of the time they are often in love with someone else. Still, arranged marriages are still practiced to form alliances with other planets. But unlike most royal marriages, my parents were both Tamaranians. My mother was a princess from the southern part of Tamaran but 'princess' was merely a title. My father was the one who carried the Royal blood. My father came to love my mother very dearly after they married and he would have done anything for her but sadly, she was not in love with him. She had fallen in love with someone else and loved him throughout her marriage."

She paused, uncomfortable for the first time and she knew it would not be the last.

"On Earth, this is most taboo but on my planet, as well as others, so many royals are married with others they have never seen before that it is no longer strange for either of them to have a— lover on the side. But it seemed as if her lover was not a Tamaranian but from another planet. I have not dared ask, you see. The idea of a lover is not taboo but the talking about is most— looked down upon. When my mother became pregnant, it had not been a Royal pregnancy. No matter what, a Royal must always produce a Royal offspring and since my mother was not, a child had to be produced with my father."

Starfire sighed, giving them a sweeping look. They seemed to be following along with her story—so far.

"My father had so much love for my mother that he did not banish her or worse, kill her which was what the Elders wanted. He merely declared the child defected but claimed her as his own."

"Blackfire." said Raven, not a question but a statement. Starfire nodded sadly.

"What does she have to do with your story?" asked Beast Boy curiously, taking a big slurp of his soda.

"She has a lot to do with my story. She is my story. You see, Blackfire was always looked upon as the outsider in her own home. Merely because she did not possess the Tamaranian traits which are the red hair and the green eyes. The only Tamaranian trait she possessed was the ability to absorb the energy form the sun and convert it into flight. So society looked upon her as a foreigner, an outcast. To make up for her mistake, my mother had me soon after. I was the quintessential Tamaranian, the exact opposite of Komand'er. I was lavished with everything I ever wanted, every whim, every need I had. But Komand'er did not hate me or resent me. Quite the contrary, she loved me. She knew it had not been my fault she was the way she was. She is highly intelligent and she taught me everything I know. She was the perfect older sister and I always held her in the highest regard. She was stronger than I could ever be, shunned from her own peers and making it her strength. Komand'er and I were extremely close until we reached Kilg'en, the coming of age. She was a year older than me so she should have started before me but father would have never let her rule Tamaran. The only reason he sent her was to keep up appearances."

"Wait, you lost me, girl," said Cyborg quickly, throwing his hands up in the air, "Komand'er is Blackfire, right? Ok, so what's Klingon or whatever you said?"

"Kilg'en is when we reach a certain age where we can start training to become the ruler of out planet. It starts when one is eight years of age, according to your earthly time but at the time I started I was only seven. Like I said, my father had no intention on putting Komand'er on the throne but she was still first in line for the throne. He was going to change it but he never got around to do it. He had—other things to worry about. So he sent me as well. There, away from the presence of my parents, the Elders began teaching me things I did not wish to learn. It was hatred, pure undiluted hatred for outsiders. They taught me to fear them, that they were untrustworthy, evil. Slowly, I was brainwashed and started distancing myself from Komand'er, believing she did not have my well-being in her intentions."

Starfire stopped here, looking down as tears threatened to spill. Robin quickly got up and went to her side. Starfire gave a small chuckle and thanked him. Once she believed she would not start crying, she continued.

"Komand'er was already planted with seeds of hatred but my betrayal of our trust, our love was the last straw. She hated Tamaran, my parents, the Elders, herself, and me. By that time, the Gordanians had already joined with the Citadel and began terrorizing planets, taking over them with bloody wars and massacres. Tamaran was at peace for some time but it could not last much longer—and it did not. Komand'er betrayed Tamaran. She gave away our secrets, our plans, our alliances. We had been helping other planets fight against the Gordanians and they did not appreciate that. In order for Tamaran to not be destroyed, they asked for two simple requests. One was the share of our livelihood, almost 90 of it."

"The other?" asked Robin, already knowing what the answer would be, his stomach churning at the very thought.

"The Royal heirs. But you see, Komand'er did not think her plan out. Father had not changed his will yet. Komand'er was still first in line for the throne and the contract had said the 'Royal heirs'. So she was sold off as well. The Gordanians gladly accepted her as well, no matter what they had promised Komand'er. I was in their servitude for some time before I got sold off to the Citadel. Gordanians are not overly cruel compared to the Citadel. They are extremely intelligent, always conducting experiments, always trying to find out new things. But faced with the prospect of being a Citadel slave was more than I could bear. For the first time, Komand'er and I were separated. We had always been sold as package, buy one get one for free. And no matter what, I always felt safe with her. I could feel her hatred for me but the love between us was there still. When I got sold off, she and I parted on good terms. Or at least, that's what I thought. It s obvious by her recent actions that she has not let go of her bitterness yet. Not that I blame her. The fault does not lie on her shoulders."

Starfire stopped, mentally and emotionally exhausted by her story. The Titans had finished their pizza, their eyes as big as saucers as the looked at her.

"We had no clue, Star," said Robin quietly, his eyes focused on the floor but he seemed to be trying to bore a hole in it.

"So now the Citadel is coming for you again?" asked Raven, packing away the pizza boxes.

"Yes," she responded sadly, "I am still in their possession."

"You're no one's possession," snapped Robin, giving her a hard look. She stood quiet, knowing very well how Robin got when it came to her.

"So, what do you suggest we do?" asked Cyborg, leaning back on the couch thoughtfully, "I mean, if they know you're here then we can't hide you."

"No, they will tear Earth apart looking for me."

"Why can't we just kick their butts like we did last time?" interjected Beast Boy, as always with his ideas, "I mean we did it once—"

"Didn't you hear Starfire's story?" said Raven, annoyed, "That was the Gordanians. It's the Citadel that are looking for her now. They are a lot more vicious than the Gordanians."

"No matter," said Robin stubbornly, "Starfire will not leave Earth. I can call up Batman and get the Justice League to help us."

"Robin—" started Starfire but Robin shook his head to quiet her.

"I will not hear it, do you understand?"

Starfire sighed but this time she got angry.

"Do you not comprehend? These are not just vicious beings. They will do anything to get what they want. They are threatening Tamaran just because of me. They will destroy my homeland if I don't give myself up or----"

"Or what?" asked Cyborg darkly.

"Nothing," answered Starfire hesitantly, "I will think of something. Worry not."

She got up, excusing herself from the group and headed to her room. The Titans looked at each other gloomily, their worst fears had finally happened. Starfire was leaving.

Everyone on the team was a glue that held them together. Cyborg was very much needed for his honesty and no-nonsense matter. He kept them real, kept them grounded, and very much a breath of fresh air. Beast Boy was not just the jokester. He was very much the beating heart of the team. He kept their spirits up with his innocence and his jokes. There was no doubt that if Beast Boy left, the team would fall into a pit of darkness and an elliptic sense of life would creep into the team. Raven was the enchantress, her presence kept them human. She was the one who everyone depended on when hard times hit to keep her cool. The lifeline of the team, basically and very much appreciated. Starfire, however, was the one that held the glue together. Always quick to offer peace, she stopped benign fight from becoming more. She befriended Raven even though they were the polar opposite of each other. And to Robin, she was the only piece of Richard Grayson he had left. He was not just Robin with her, he was Richard as well. She did not know his name, obviously, but she knew him well. Sometimes, she could easily tell the difference between the two. The other one was less rigid, a lot more sweet and so utterly human. Robin was always tense, his mind on work and nothing else. Still, it had taken some time for her to notice the difference. She was so blind to his traits sometimes, especially when they bled into each other. But Robin knew. And he was afraid.

The Tower locked down for the night and the team went to their perspective rooms to catch some zz's. Robin had another idea, though. He went up to the roof, knowing very well Starfire would be there. He was right.

"Hey,"

"Hello," she answered back tiredly, her eyes lost in the stars, "tell me again which one is Tamaran, please."

His eyes lingered on her for a moment before pointing her world out to her. Her eyes glazed over as she saw the tiny pink dot on the sky.

"Hard to believe that was once my home–" she said absently and continued to stare at her home planet.

Robin took a long good look at her. Her sparkly hair, catching the moonlight's rays and making it seem as if she had diamonds on her hair. Her skin, a shade so different than human beings, glowed a dim peach color, and her green orbs were dim at the moment, the sadness of her planet translating to her eyes.

"What do you say we go catch a late movie?"

She turned to look at him and after a while, she gave him a big smile, the light returning to her eyes.

"I would love to."

* * *

More romance next chapter and action. Whee! 


	3. Chapter 3

Once all colleges have denied me entrance, I believe I will be more consistant with my chapters. Please do not lose hope that I will finish this story. It's just that my stupid school gets in the way...

The chapters are coming along slowly and the current one has no action but fear not, mes amies, it will come. yay!!!! It has muchy romance though...

I've akways thought of Robin and Starfire's relationship to be quite simple in one aspect but not in another and this explains a little bit of it. Next chapter will explain Star's side and yay for action.

Toodles

* * *

The night was chilly, the wind blowing a cold breeze throughout the city even though it was the start of summer. There was nothing to worry about though, for Starfire had donned a lavender hoodie on top of her white long sleeve shirt. Her jeans were tight enough to offer warmth but be comfortable at the same time. She looped her arm through Robin's, charming him with a sweet smile before heading out onto the street. He looked quite handsome himself in the civilian clothes he had chosen for that night. Gone were the green tights and cape and instead, he wore a green T-shirt with the group Metallica splattered all over the front and baggy jeans. His mask remained in place and his hair was kept the way he always like it. Spiky. He smiled back at the pretty alien and walked with her aimlessly around the city.

"I don't know why you insist on watching that movie if it makes you cry," commented Robin as they strolled around, trying to ignore the funny looks from people. Maybe it was because they were superheroes or maybe it was because they were Robin and Starfire, but Robin always noticed they got stared at often. It was never the case when he was with the rest of the team but then again, his attention was never on one particular teammate. However, his full attention tonight was currently on a particular, long legged, green-eyed beauty whose luscious lips were now moving at full speed.

"It's...different from other movies. It tries to show us love in an aesthetical way. You need not be told in words how they feel about their situations, one another, and themselves. You see it in their eyes, the background, and in the music," she smiled sweetly at him, " The puppets at the beginning have begun to scare me less, so that is a big 'plus sign'."

He smiled back at her, pondering her words. He hated movies with subtitles, only because he did not come to watch a movie where he had to read and learn. That's why he enjoyed martial art flicks. All he needed to know is why the bad guy had to have his butt handed to him and away he went with the movie. Not to mention the kick ass moves he worshiped so dearly. So to watch a movie like 'Dolls' was not his idea of great fun. Starfire loved the movie, though, and for her he was willing to watch it. Over and over and over...

They continued to walk the safe streets of Jump City with nowhere in particular to go to. To their luck, they reached a kid's park not so far away from the movie theatre. Robin noticed Starfire's longing looks at the swings and he disentangled her arm from his, going over to the wire fence to start climbing.

"Wait, Robin, the sign says closed."

Robin scoffed.

"What they don't know won't hurt them," he said nonchalantly as he started climbing. His sneakers did not work as well as his boots did and he noticed he was slipping often. To his surprise, he heard Starfire give an annoyed sigh behind him and felt the whoosh of her flight from behind him. He could distinctly recognize her scent as she looked down on him and offered him her hand. Taking it gratefully, she flew them over the fence and settled them down on the other side.

"I can't help but feel like a hippo criminal..." Starfire murmured, looking around the desolated park. It took a while before Robin understood she meant to say 'hypocritical' and he bit back the laughter that bubbled inside him. Though Starfire had been on Earth long enough to stop making such mistakes, every now and then she would make those kinds of comments where you couldn't help but laugh. He led her to the swings and settled behind her, waiting for her to get comfortable on the seat.

"Ready?"

With her approval, he proceeded to push her forward, her giggles warming the very atmosphere around them. Her giggles turned into laughter as she went higher and higher, swinging her legs back and forth, looking like a small child. Starfire had been flying her entire life but there was something about being thrust up into the air by another person that made her feel so—giddy. His hands pressed up against her back every time she came back down and she wasn't sure whether it was the sensation of gravity that made her have butterflies in her stomach or it was Robin. Once the swing could go as far as it could, Robin settled himself on the swing next to her and began to swing himself. Their laughter mixed beautifully, her high pitched timbre had the perfect harmony to his lower pitched chuckles. After a while (neither of them knew how long and in truth, they did not care) they lost their momentum and began to slow down, the creaking of the metal handles punctuating the night air.

"Are you nauseous, Robin?" asked Starfire, glancing at him as she swinged back and forth gently.

"A little," he admitted, "actually, a lot."

Starfire smiled, her gaze traveling to the sky where a small fuschia dot grew bright in the sky. Robin followed her gaze and instantly knew what she was thinking about. He hesitated before asking.

"Do you miss your home?" he asked quietly, not wanting to disturb that small velvety peace they had between them at the moment.

"Tamaran," she said slowly, weighting her words carefully, "was a place I once called home. Now, Earth is my home."

Her eyes were lost in a dark spot of trees in the distance.

"Which is why you are not leaving," said Robin defiantly, clenching on the metal handles on the swing. His hair blew back away from his eyes as the cold air blew harshly against them. Starfire gave an aspirated sigh, her eyes softening as they rested on Robin's own covered eyes.

"That is not for you to decide," she said logically and before he could say something else, she cut him off by pressing her fingers against his warm lips.

"I believe it is time for us to leave," she told him, "I am getting rather chilly."

And the peace was cut through by a steely knife.

The flight back was in silence, neither of them had anything left to say. However, Robin did not wish to end the night on such a sour note. So when Starfire put him down gently, Robin sat down at the edge of the Tower's roof and jerked her down with him. She let him, dangling her feet over the edge of the Tower and staring at the dark, murky waters. Millions of tiny light particles reflected on the glassy water as well as the lights from the stars and the city. Yet, all of these illuminations could not make the water less somber. That was just the way the water was in the dark.

"What are the rest of the Titans doing tonight?" asked Starfire, looking straight ahead to the city. From the Tower, one could see the multitude of stars but from the city, it was near impossible. Too many lights, too much pollution. They had been lucky to find the desolated park.

"Eh," answered Robin, continuing sarcastically, " They're all so big on their secret hang-out plans."

Starfire smiled.

"I guess the great big leader doesn't know everything," she teased, a smile working her way across her lips. Robin scoffed.

"I never said I didn't know,"

"Well," responded Starfire, looking at him tauntingly, "please enlighten me, Mr. Boy of Wonder."

"Uh—Well, Cy is working on his car," said Robin hesitantly, "and Raven is meditating—"

Starfire laughed.

"You have no clue, do you?"

Robin smiled at her, almost sheepishly and nodded.

"I have some ideas on what their doing..."

"Well, I can tell you exactly what they are doing," Starfire said haughtily, her eyes lighting up easily as they continued their game, "They tell me their secrets."

"Really?" laughed Robin, "Please enlighten me with their secrets then, Ms. Starfire."

"Well," she started, knowing very well that she could not 'blow' her friends' 'spots'. (She wasn't sure what that meant but she took it very seriously. She did not want her friends to blow up.)

She knew Robin well enough to know he would have (and most probably already did) figured it out.

"Well, Cyborg is trying to woo Bumblebee into a date, I believe," Starfire said happily, her hands coming together in a business kind of way.

Robin chuckled at the thought of his friend with Bumblebee. She had good leadership skills and was extremely social. Her personality was a strong one which is probably why Cyborg liked her so much. Still, now Robin had more weapons on his arsenal to make fun of Cyborg every time he saw him, much to Cyborg's chagrin.

"And Beast Boy is out with Terra somewhere," her voice grew a little somber as she spoke of Beast Boy, "He's given up on trying to make her remember by now. He just wants to be with her."

She smiled at Robin.

"He informed me he was succeeding. 'It's the pointy ears,' he told me. I do hope he gets what he wants, it is so weird to see Beast boy so sad."

Robin nodded back. Maybe it was for the best that Terra had forgotten. For her and for Beast Boy. Maybe now they could have a normal relationship, without Slade and without betrayals. No one knew how Terra had suddenly come back to them but Robin suspected it was when Raven's prophecy turned everyone into stone. She must have come back to life when Raven succeeded in turning everyone back to normal.

"Raven is—" she hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to tell Robin or not. Of course it was not because she did not trust him but it was Raven's personal matters.

"I know where she is," interjected Robin, knowing very well that Starfire wouldn't betray a big secret like that. The rest of the team were loud about their going-on's most of the time so everyone pretty much knew what was happening. Raven was a different matter.

"You do?" asked Starfire, surprised. Robin nodded.

"She tells me things as well," said Robin with a superiority, "We do have a connection, you know."

Starfire pouted at him, giving him a 'humph' and sticking her tongue out at him.

"Well, whatever," she said in a very teenager sort of way.

"And me?" asked Robin softly, after his chuckles had subsided from the look on her face.

Starfire glanced at him, her face passive and peaceful. Her eyes her bright green, a color Robin had come to cherish beyond belief. Nowhere had he found a color so vibrant, so alive.

"What's my secret?"

Starfire smiled softly, confidently.

"You love me," she said softly, the words floating out of her mouth with ease and without hesitation. Robin turned his gaze to hers, his face a mask void of emotions. He looked at her for a few seconds before smiling.

"That isn't much of a secret, isn't it?"

Starfire giggled softly.

"And your secret?" he asked her quietly.

"My secret is not much of a secret as well," she responded easily, "Even Galfore noticed how much I love you."

Her hand flew to his face, caressing the side of his chin. The night air felt good against their skin and it held a clean odor to it, a smell of purity. She leaned towards him, wanting very much to kiss him. In fact, there was nothing on her mind but a kiss from him. She had long ago learned that what she thought was merely lip contact actually meant more on Earth. In reality, she had always found it quite enjoyable and the perk of learning languages through the act was a nice benefit. But now, she longed to learn more than language with Robin.

To her surprise, Robin leaned back, an apologetic look on his face. His hand took her own and rubbed it gently. She felt the callouses from the harsh training he endured and all the battles he fought in. They were rough with experience and yet he gently rubbed her cold hand, the scratching of his callouses against her soft hand were trying to comfort her as her heart fell to her stomach.

"What is the matter?" she asked but it came out in barely a whisper. She was so close to him that it hardly mattered.

"This is not a good idea," he told her gently, pushing her away softly but to her, it was as if he had shoved her aside.

"Why not?" she asked once more, adding uncertainly, "Does lip contact not mean something more?"

"It does," reassured Robin, "but that's precisely why we mustn't."

"I fail to comprehend," tried Starfire once more, shaking her head, "If we love each other, then why is this not possible?"

Robin sighed, getting up and helping her up as well. Her hair blew carelessly around her face and she looked so beautiful and yet so destroyed that it killed Robin to look at her.

"Well, we're a team, Star," he began nonchalantly, "And if it's one thing I ever learned from my mentor is that we do not date team members----or villains."

"Why not?" asked Starfire, ignoring the villain part and trying her hardest to understand how he could turn such a simple emotion into something so difficult.

"Well, 'cause I'll be worried about you every time we go into battle," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "or someone could use you to get to me or—"

"Are you not worried about me every time we go into battle now?"

"Yeah–"

"Can't someone use me now to get to you? We are best friends, after all."

"I guess–"

"So why would it be so diff---"

"It just is, Star," snapped Robin harshly, his temper getting the best of him and he regretted it instantly. He turned to look at her, expecting to see hurt green eyes filled with tears but instead, he found her upset, almost angry at him.

"I may not fully comprehend the ways of Earth boys but I believe you are 'pulling this out of you rear end', Robin," she said angrily at him but then her tone softened, "Why don't you just tell me the truth?"

As always when it came to feelings, Robin felt his throat close up and his head went blank. He did know why and in his mind, it was a very ligitimate reason. He knew Starfire wouldn't see it that way. The girl thought so highly of him...

He mumbled something and Starfire frowned.

"What?"

He mumbled it again, lower and even more incomprehensible.

"Robin, you are being childish!"

"I know! Ok? I get it!" he groaned loudly, "I'm just not good enough to be that person for you. It's not like my self esteem is on the floor, I mean, who else can keep a 200 pound half- robot half- man pinned to the ground for more than an hour? But when it comes to you..." he sighed wearily, "I'm not even that good of a friend."

Trying to recover from the idiotic things that Robin had just told her, she frowned at him, a disbelieving look on her face.

"Robin, you have been a great friend! No one else could have found the patience or energy to teach me your Earthly ways. Only you see that I am not an the 'airhead' because I do not comprehend your slang or your tastes in food. You have given me more than you'll ever know----how can you even think such things?"

"I can," said Robin darkly, "remember Slade? All those things I have done to you because of him, because of my own damn insanity? And Red X? My betrayal to all of you, most especially you? All the times I pushed you away, all the times I _will_ push you away. All the times I have hurt and I can guarantee I will hurt you more if we get closer. I am trying to save you the heartache."

"It is not working," she said simply.

"No, I am sorry," he told her, the leader voice creeping back into his speech, "I will not allow it."

There was nothing more to be said, nothing more to do. He looked away from her, averting his eyes to the city. Starfire sighed sadly, walking to the very edge of the roof to look at him.

A flick of panic in his eyes, then it vanished.

"You are the leader of the team so you must know what is best," she said gently, no angry tone but a melancholy ring to her voice, "But there is someone who tries to come out of you, Robin and I am more than willing to figure out who that is. I am in love with you and nothing will ever change that. Not the kiss, not the pain. Nothing. We will always be something more."

She turned to go back to the elevator, hands clasped together in front of her. Her eyes stung but she refused to cry at the moment. On the way to the elevator, she looked back and to her surprise, he was not there anymore. She was left alone in the cold night to wait for the elevator, her arms folded against her body to give her protection against the cold night air.

Their night had ended.

* * *

Just a side note-- I used to say 'hippo criminal' (I came to the US when I was eight so I know EXCATLY how Star talks and thinks) 


	4. Chapter 4

Revised

* * *

Back in her room, Starfire sat at the edge of her circular bed and sighed. Her eyes were itchy and soar, as if she had been gazing at the sun for too long. She felt emotionally drained and physically tired. She wondered is this was how love was supposed to be. She quickly decided that it wasn't, that Robin was just being—well, Robin, and that she could get him out of his shell. The problem was that she didn't believe she had to work so hard to be with him. In the movies, it was always so easy. The main characters had a fight, they argues for half of the movie, and at the end, the man and woman would fall into each other's arms and have a happy ending.

'There is no such things as happy endings,' Robin had told her once, 'It just means that one particular chapter of their life is over.'

She tried to comprehend what that had meant and though she did get it, it always amazed her that he could see things so negatively sometimes. Why couldn't he just leave it as a happy ending? Why the philosophy and the unfavorable way of seeing glasses as half empty? She wondered if he had always been this way. According to Beast Boy, he hadn't. Beast Boy had informed her of his mentor, the one they called the Batman. A rather intimidating figure, she knew, by the way Beast Boy and Cyborg spoke of him. But Robin had worked side by side with him.

'The Boy Wonder,' Beast Boy had called him.

She smiled.

She could see why he was called that. A boy wonder, indeed. He could do amazing things, things no one, not even those with super abilities, could do. A mere human trained to the bone, where no step is out of tune with the rest of his body, no punch is thrown without a quick mental overview, and every growl that escaped his throat warned the villains of his fury. But there had once been a time when his abilities were not so refined, his punches here haphazardly thrown, and his growls were replaced by witty comeback and comments.

What had happened to that Robin?

Such an enigma, thought Starfire tiredly, a boy not yet eighteen and still, he looked like he had the entire world on his shoulders.

That boy, the quick witted, sharp tongued boy was longing to come out. Starfire could see it. Robin would have never thought of jumping the fence. He would have never have involved himself in childish play, such as the swings. Robin was the determined, stone faced one. So, who was the other?

That's what she wanted to know. She loved Robin for who he was. All the bad things he had done, the mistakes, the betrayals, and the words he lashed out at her. But that's not all he was. Then again, who was she to talk about a hidden personality? She hadn't been very honest with him as well.

Silkie slinked across the bed, dodging Starfire as she threw herself back. He nuzzled her hand and got his reward. She petted him softly and he purred happily, a big smile on his face.

Starfire had once been a Princess, even a Queen for a short period of time. She remembered Robin's face as he found out that other side of her. A part she longed to leave behind. Far, far behind. She was not ashamed of being a Tamaranian, not at all. She was very proud to declare her race to all. Her people were beautiful, her planet was a dreamland, and her G'norfka was the best example of a true Tamaranian. But out of her royal blood, she had become more.

Her hand stopped caressing Silkie as the scenes played out on her mind. Blurry at first for she had denied herself the memories but they came at full force now.

The pain of being probed and poked all over her body.

Her blood had been nectar for these creatures. They were fascinated by the information her body held.

Her mind went into a complete blank for long periods of time, only to wake up out of no where with a splitting headache.

Her body was usually sore and numb from all the drugs and X'hal knows what other stuff she had been forced to swallow.

But most of all, she remembered the feeling of violation. They experimented on her body, her temple, just to satisfy their curiosity.

She had been borne a princess only to become a weapon.

She felt the slightest tingles in her fingers and the jingling of her powers slowly charging up. She commanded them to stop and the jingles faded. She was an expensive luxury and the Gordanians wanted her back. Sold for her powers, the Citadel had paid a hefty price for her and they were not the type of creatures you could simply replace lost merchandise for another. They were looking for her and they would find her. It was only a matter of time.

She got up from the bed and walked to the door, very abruptly.

It was time to speak to Galfore.

The Common Room at Titans Tower was very dark with only a small amount of moonlight coming through the big windows. The crescent moon was shining very brightly but the clouds prevented the light from fully reaching those in need of it. Starfire headed for the computer and began to type. To reach Galfore, she had to go through several connections and channels just to reach the Vegan system. Then, it was a whole other ordeal to reach Tamaran. She patiently punched in codes and secret passwords and waited patiently to be connected. Her emotions, though, were raging inside of her. Fear, comprehension, and disappointment conjoined to make Starfire a very sad alien.

Once she got through, she put on the earphone and turned on the microphone. She didn't want the other Titans to get up.

"Koriand'er, what brings you to call your old G'norfka?"

"O, Galfore," she sighed wearily, finally the façade of the ever present smile had fallen to reveal an extremely upset and disturbed girl, "I am at my wit's end."

"You must not lose reasoning when dealing with such matters," he told her softly, his voice rumbling pleasantly in her ears, "You must do what is right for you."

"What is right for me is not right for Tamaran," she sighed wearily, "Are they causing you much trouble, Galfore?"

"Nothing I cannot handle," he reassured her but Starfire noticed his weary eyes and his tired demeanor all the same.

A pause rose between them before Starfire announced her decision.

"I am coming back to Tamaran."

His face was trained to be emotionless and she had seen him achieve it perfectly countless of times, with her now deceased father. However, though his face gave nothing away, his eyes did the trick.

"You must not," he advised her, eyes flashing in panic, "You will surely be enslaved."

"And Tamaran will not," she argued back. Galfore gave a preoccupied sigh.

"Child, you have sacrificed enough for Tamaran. Let us worry about ourselves. You find yourself a good place to hide and wait this storm out."

"I will not hide like some coward," said Starfire indignantly, "That was not how I was raised. Besides, I do not want to run away my whole life. I want to stop worrying about this once and for all."

"What do you plan to do, then?" asked Galfore but Starfire knew that he already had figured it out. After all, there was only one way a slave stopped being a slave.

"The only option I have, Galfore."

"What has Robin said about this?"

Caught off guard by his question, Starfire opened her mouth but nothing came out. She felt like a fish out of the water.

"I—am not sure," she stuttered, "I have yet to inform him."

"Why is that, my little bungorf?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

"He would not understand—"

"You mean, he would try to stop you."

Starfire smiled.

"That as well."

"Good boy, that one," he said, more to himself than to her, "I trust he will talk you out of this nonsense."

"Galfore," she reprimanded softly, "I have made up my mind."

"My dear bungorf, I cannot let you go through with this, do you understand? We will find some other way..."

Another silence fell over them, this one more somber and the pregnant pause cause Starfire to shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Have you heard anything about Komand'er?" she asked suddenly.

"No," answered Galfore, scratching his chin, "last time I checked she was still in prison," he looked at her pointedly, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Starfire sighed, "I do miss her."

They continued their talk but digressed over less preoccupying things. Tamaran was doing well; the economy was reaching the highest point and producing more than it ever was. Galfore was a great leader and the people looked up to him. Starfire always knew he had it in him so she had willingly given him the position. He had never wanted to be Queen, anyway. No, that was a lie; there had been time when she did want that position. A much simpler time when Komand'er and she were inseparable.

After some time, they logged off and Starfire felt the warmth in her heart disappear once more.

His final words to her for that night had been of love–and a warning.

"It is foolish to throw a life away, Koriand'er, especially one as energetic and beautiful as yours."

Yes, Galfore, she thought sadly, but when there was no other choice, what else was she to do?

"Starfire?"

Gasping, Starfire turned around and found Raven a few feet away from her.

"What are you doing up so late?" she asked, her voice scratchier than usual. She had just gotten up.

"I felt the homesick feeling so I contacted Galfore," said Starfire, her stomach knotting as if she had told a lie. Technically, she hadn't been lying but this technicality did not help her at all.

"Oh,"

"And you?" asked Starfire, trying to veer the conversation away from her.

"I needed a glass of water."

Starfire smiled at her as she grabbed a cup and filled it with water. Starfire logged off the computer and walked toward the doors.

"Well, goodnigh—"

"Wait a minute," said Raven suddenly, causing Starfire to turn around.

"You know," Raven started slowly, almost as if she didn't know how to say it, "You could always–talk to me–about anything, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if anything is bothering you, maybe I can help."

Starfire frowned.

"Nothing is bothering me," she reassured Raven, "I am—"

"Lying."

Raven looked at Starfire's crestfallen face and sighed.

"Just know that, ok?"

Starfire nodded and thanked her. She exited the Common Room and went straight for her bedroom. She wanted to fall asleep and nothing else. Somehow, she knew Raven had sensed her emotion which was actually truly weird since she and Raven had been working on calming her emotions down.

"You are way too happy all the time," Raven had told her, "I don't want you to stop being yourself but you need to dim how much of this emotion you exert. You're killing me here."

Maybe she was out of the whack.

She threw herself on her bed once more and gave Silkie a big kiss. With her head hanging off the edge of her bed, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Tomorrow would be a big day for her.

It was as if her brain had come up with the decision while she slept. She woke up determined and scared at the same time. She knew what she must do and by X'hal she was going to do it.

She got dressed in casual clothes that morning, her uniform ready under her clothes. The uniform was so tight that she did not need to worry about having it bulge over her regular clothes. She made her way down to the Common Room and expected no one to be there just yet. To her great surprise, all team members were there and dressed. Raven was reading her strange book, Cyborg was cooking breakfast and Beast Boy was cooking his own confection of Tofu.

"Yo, that shit stinks, man," commented Cyborg loudly, "Why you gotta cook that when my delicious breakfast is being made?"

"Cause I'm hungry too, dude."

Their talking was drowned by the loud beeping of the computer which Robin was repairing. It had caught a bug a couple of days ago and though this computer was not an especially important one, it did control the amount of heat and air-conditioning in the Tower.

Starfire sat at the island table and watched her friends argue. Cyborg certainly cooked a great breakfast but it contained all kinds of animals. Beast Boy could not even look at the plates as Cyborg served them.

"Dudes, that's so not cool..."

Robin and Cyborg began talking about the computer while the rest of the team ate their breakfast in peace. Starfire felt her hands become sweaty as she poured mustard all over her bacon and her hands shook as she put the mustard bottle down.

"You ok?" asked Raven quietly.

"I am ok," answered Starfire truthfully. She was nervous but her conviction was strong as she looked at Beast Boy eating his tofu with love and happiness. Raven went back to her newspaper, her dark eyes sweeping back and forth, devouring all the information she could get. Cyborg was looking positively radiant as he talked about the new computer program he had just installed into the main computer, his eyes shining with invisible stars. And Robin...well, he was being Robin. His questions on how to fix the computer only fed the frustration over the fact that he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out how to de-bug the machine.

Once breakfast was over and the wheel of distress had been spun (it had fallen on Raven's name, much to her distress) Starfire had gathered up her courage to ask the team to sit down.

"I have a very important announcement to tell."

She took a deep breath and let it out.

"I am leaving for Tamaran----and I am resigning from the Teen Titans."

There was nothing but silence in the Common Room. The insistent beeping from the computer had abruptly stopped, as if it knew how big of a deal this situation was. No one spoke and it seemed that no one even breathed.

Just as Robin was going to let out a raging, furious, wild, billowing response, the alarm ran throughout Titans Tower.

"Trouble," said Starfire quietly.

Growling, Robin waved her proclamation away. He opened his mouth once more but the alarm began to increase in volume. It would continue to do so until it was checked. Opening his mouth again and again, he gave out a frustrated growl and went to check the computer. Plasmus was on a rampage once more. Robin turned around and for the first time in his Titans career, he hesitated before yelling out,

"Titans, GO!"

Plasmus was known for being drawn to sewer storages. This time was no different. But there were very rare times when Plasmus was not involved with a certain villain known all to well by the Titans. So as they went into battle, they were more than apprehensive about its motives. Plasmus was always one of the bad guys were you know you were going to get dirty. Raven threw out her telepathic extension to raise the pavement from below him, getting his attention as he slammed back against the floor. Starfire was flying around, trying to get all civilians safely out of the way. Beast Boy did the same, hurrying as to not miss one minute of battle.

"You again?" asked Robin angrily, "Doesn't your small brain process that your ass will be kicked again?"

Plasmus did nothing but roar, spewing out large quantities of goo out of various parts of his body. They dodged and evaded the goo and went straight into battle. Beast Boy charged at him in the shape of a rhino, slamming him across the wall. The creature groaned in pain but quickly recovered, elongating his sludge body parts to slam Beast Boy back. Cyborg sped right at him, his cannon blaster ready and aimed right at his stomach. With perfect aim, he shot at the creature but the creature only dispersed over the street. Starfire grabbed Robin by the arms and lifted him up, her eyes emitting her star bolts at the creature as it reformed a couple of feet away from them.

She let Robin fall and he shot out a couple of power disks, exploding near the creature, causing him to panic and leap back, right into Raven's powerful telepathic razor-sharp arrows. They went right through him and he collapsed on the floor. They needed to hurt him bad enough for him to return to human form so Robin indicated to Starfire to give him a couple of watts. She nodded and raised her arms above her head where a small ball of green energy formed, slowly increasing in watts. With a loud groan, Starfire threw it straight at Plasmus, who tried to dodge it with little success. There was a great deal of smoke as the pavement was blown into smithereens. Nothing could be heard so Robin slowly walked near the scene where Plasmus had fallen. Tentatively, he walked closer and closer----

"I think he's down, te---"

A purple arm grabbed him straight on his face and slammed him down on the floor. Crying out his name, Starfire raced toward him, the worry sketched all over her face. Beast Boy transformed into a pterodactyl and flapped around the scene, blowing away the dust and clearing the perimeter. Plasmus was readying another attack on Robin when Starfire got in the way, taking the blow for Robin. She was slammed a few feet away from him, groaning painfully as she felt her body meet the pavement. She had made a big crater on the ground and Plasmus had not been ready for it. He lost his balance and fell on top of her, slowly suffocating her with his weight. Too weak to use her powers, Starfire began to panic. She felt useless, hopeless as her eyes began to get heavy and her breathing became less. She was being smothered completely and soon, her vision became black.

Raven and Cyborg took care of Plasmus. Raven lifted him with her telepathic powers while Cyborg slammed him with multiple punches. Beast Boy joined the commotion, smashing him against a building in the form of a T-Rex. Though still weak, Robin made his way to Starfire, gently slapping her cheeks to wake her up.

"Come on, don't do this," he shook her, panicking slightly, "don't leave me—"

Starfire coughed violently, her cheeks reddening as her chest heaved violently.

"Ow…"

Robin chuckled, sighing heavily.

"You ok?"

Nodding, Starfire smiled at him. He didn't smile back though. Instead, he reprimanded her quite harshly.

"Don't ever do that again,"

Starfire frowned, wincing at his tone of voice. It reminded her of that rainy day, when he had lost his mind…..

"I was trying to protect you—"

"Don't," he told her curtly, "I don't need it."

Her nostrils flared.

"'Thank you' would have been better response, Robin,"

Robin was about to speak when Beast Boy's annoyed voice wafted toward them.

"We could use the help over here," he groaned as Plasmus pushed him back into Raven, knocking her out of the air and into the floor, "If you don't mind." He finished, wincing as Raven tried to push him off of her.

Starfire nodded, her bolts charging and she rose into the air.

"Let's finish this!" she said angrily and signaled the team to get back. She flew a couple of feet back, her bolts charging in her hands and her eyes began to glow a violent green. She flew rapidly and directly toward Plasmus who was being held in place by Raven. She let out an aggressive and vicious roar as she blasted Plasmus with her eyes and the high watts of her starbolts. The creature screamed in pain as it was blown to pieces. Its muck surrounded the buildings, most of the Teen Titans, and on the young man who lay on the floor, fast asleep.

The mission officially over, Starfire calmed herself down, her hands and eyes burning slightly. Cyborg whistled, throwing her an apprehensive look.

"Glad you on our team, Star,' he told her half-jokingly half- serious, "Wouldn't want to be on your bad side."

"Yeah, Star" said Beast Boy, eyeing the sleeping man in the floor, "You're scary when you want to be--- in a nice way, of course."

"Imbecile," muttered Raven as she signaled for the Jump City police to come take the man away. Treating him with care, they got him into a tube full of chemicals to keep him asleep and began inserting some tubes in him. Raven went ahead to get the necessary papers from the police while Cyborg and Beast Boy went to do their favorite thing in the world. Give out interviews and autographs.

"You could have gotten seriously hurt," said Robin angrily as they walked toward a police squad. A young police-man handed Starfire a towel, giving her a big, handsome smile. Starfire smiled back at him.

"Are you listening, Star?" asked Robin, irritated and sending a nasty glance at the police man who quickly sobered his smile and went back to work. Scowling at Robin for being so mean to the man, she raised an eyebrow.

"As I have said before, I was doing my job," she added as an afterthought, "why are you so preoccupied with me all of a sudden?"

"It is not just you," he told her nonchalantly, "It could have affected the whole team."

"We were victorious, yes?" she asked with a supreme air, "I do not see what is so wrong about what I did."

"That was not your blow to take," he said angrily, watching her try to remove the purple muck out of her face, "And we are a team which means you give us all a chance to kick his butt and not run amok whenever you want. That's just---" he trailed off when he spotted the police officer staring at Starfire again and dragged her by the arm, away from him and shooting him a look which could have caused him instant combustion if the officer had been paying attention to Robin and not Starfire's legs.

"Robin, you are no longer making sense," stated Starfire, freeing herself from Robin's grasp and walking away from him toward Raven who handed her the papers that needed to be filled out.

Growling, Robin raised his hands in defeat.

"Women!"

And from the distance, another voice shouted as well.

"Men!"

Once back at Titans Tower, Robin kidnapped Starfire before anyone could figure out what happened, though everyone pretty much knew. They were not blind and they were certainly not stupid.

It was time for Starfire to kick some sense into Robin and make him mature. Raven was getting tired of sensing the tension between them, both when they were fighting and when they were close. They loved each other, why couldn't they just start going out? Being teenage superheroes was bad enough but when you add romance to it, it was worse than facing Plasmus, Cinderblock, and Johnny Rancid all together.

All around Raven, romance was happening. Beast Boy had not given up on Terra even though he had accepted that things, in fact, do change. He was trying to make it work with her, now a sixteen year high school girl and nothing more. Though Raven had wanted nothing to do with her, she had to admit she had been fascinated when she had met her. Terra wasn't Terra anymore. Her name was different, her personality was different, her feelings were changed, and her very aura had gone through a dramatic alternation. Things change, indeed.

Cyborg had recently started chasing after Bumblebee. Raven only chuckled when she found out. Cyborg was quite interesting when he fell into a crush. He floated around with puppy eyes all the time, whistling happily, and smiling at everyone he met (though strangers on the street might have found it a little disturbing). In all, Cyborg had turned into a big softy when it came to Bumblebee. (But get him in the battle field and he turned into a warrior).

Still, Raven did not long for a relationship herself. She was all right being by herself and even though at times she felt alone, her friends' did not leave her because of their relationships. And that made her happier than anything else, though she would never show it physically.

To know that she was not going to be shunned to the side because everyone else was coupling up made her heart light. Although she and the somber look went together perfectly, she relished in the fact that their friendship had not changed because of different circumstances.

Raven made her way back to her room, book in hand, passing through Starfire's room.

She would have to talk to her later, she thought fleetingly and started to read the yellow pages of her book.


	5. Chapter 5

x'hal! School has grabbed me, shook me, and has beaten me to the ground. Thankfully, my trusty laptop allows me more time to write so... yeah!!

* * *

Starfire had ceased to fight Robin as he led her to the roof, their private spot where they came to discuss things between them, both the good and the bad. The air at night was not often chilly but it was fall and the wind contained a hint of cold, enough for the hairs on her arms to rise. Still, it felt rather good on her skin and when she breathed, she could smell the purity of the air and the scent of the water around them. The stars were covered by white clouds, making a dramatic contrast against the dark night sky. It would have been a lovely night between her and Robin if only Robin would have not been looking at her with such angry ardor.

"I don't even know where to start, Star. First you say you're leaving, then you resign, and now you go jumping in front of humongous slug monsters without a second thought?"

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily as he looked at her.

"What is going on with you?"

"Robin, you are the smartest person I know," Starfire started but punctuated her sentence with a sigh, "But you would not understand my reasons for leaving. You would go against them and maybe try to stop me and---- I cannot have that."

"Why are you returning to Tamaran?" he asked her quietly, his voice concerned but he injected a bit of his anger into it, "I thought you were being pursued."

"I am but---" she sighed. Robin followed her as she went to sit at the edge of the Tower, legs hanging off the edge and swinging slightly. She turned to look at him, searching his face for some clue as to whether or not she should tell him. Though she found no such clue, she did realize she could not possibly leave Earth without Robin knowing why.

"You already know the Gordanians are looking for me. But it is not just me they are threatening; it is my entire planet, my people, my family. As a princess, I must do what is right for their well-being."

"I thought you gave up the crown?" asked Robin, confused.

"One cannot truly escape their duties, Robin," said Starfire with a smile, a small sad one, "It is my royal duty to accept what has been handed to me."

"What will you do?" his eyes narrowed as he looked at her. Her answer, he knew, would not be to his liking.

"I will go and accept my fate," she said softly, "Perhaps there is a way I could deliver myself from my slavery."

"We'll go with you. We can get the T-ship up and running in a couple of hou---"

"No, Robin, you must not!" Starfire said quickly, too quickly for Robin's liking. Based on the look of deep displease on his face, Starfire was forced to squirm under his gaze but she did not speak.

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense around them and though Robin's face was now stoic, Starfire could feel his emotions radiating through him.

"I did not mean to offend, Robin," she started quietly, apologetically, "but this is personal business. You, out of all people, should understand."

Robin scoffed loudly, turning away from her. The moonlight reflected in the water, sending a dim light against the tower. Neither of the teenagers spoke again but Starfire realized she had hit a nerve with her last comment. Perhaps it had not been wise to say it but she had not been lying. He had hid plenty of things from them based on 'personal matters.' His gaze was still away from hers, turned to look at something else, a better sight than what Starfire had to offer, perhaps he was so disgusted with her answers he could not bear to look at her….

"Is there something in your life you don't want us to know?" asked Robin, gaze still averted but his voice was clear and strong, "Cause if you're afraid we won't be your friends anymore or something—" he faced her, his face a mask of honesty, "We won't shun you away because of your past."

Starfire blinked. Robin could be so surprising sometimes. There was a ferociousness in Robin that Starfire marveled at, his incredible ability to do supernatural things, and his capacity to handle extreme pressure. His fingers were calloused from endless battles and the battle scars he wore, he wore with dignity. But there were times when he could be so sweet, so caring, so in tune with things or events that could be the undercurrent of actions in her and teammates. Maybe because he had his own dirty little secrets he was able to sympathize so well with the rest of them.

Bu he was right. She didn't want her friends to know what had happened to her. Not only was she ashamed of her own weakness but what would Robin think of her once he found out she had ravaged like an animal. She didn't even know exactly what they did to her. She would accept it as part of her every day life as a slave. To wake up day after day with bandages on her hands and arms, her head splitting open with harsh migraines until one day she woke up to intense pain in her hands, her head, her entire body and she exploded with power. She had no control of her newly given powers and the Gordanians hadn't realized she had awoken so soon or else they would have put a power collar on her, to dim her powers. How would she explain to Robin the rampage she went on, after that incident? More importantly, how would he take it?

"Star?"

"Huh?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I asked you if you wanted to tell anything."

She shook her head slightly to clear away the thoughts. She answered him with a polite 'no' and made the suggestion they go back to the Common Room. Reluctantly, Robin agreed and they went back, in silence, the whole way. Starfire had the feeling Robin did not wish to speak to her at the moment and though she felt her heart fall with this suspicion, there was a part of her that did not wish to speak with him as well.

She decided she was going to feed Silkie and left a worried looking Robin in the hallway. She stepped into her room with a sigh and locked her door. Silkie crawled to her and she picked him up, surprised that he was actually in the room. He usually spent time wandering around the Tower, hanging out in Robin's room and chewing his capes. Robin didn't mind anymore. Silkie's teeth were not powerful enough to bite a hole through the cape so he let it go. Setting her pet on his stool, she proceeded to talk to him in baby talk as she put a bib on him. Halfway through his feeding, someone knocked softly on the door. Starfire was happily surprised to see Raven standing there, asking if she could come in.

"Always, Raven,"

She settled herself on the edge of Starfire's bed, watching the alien as she took the bib of her worm and settled him on the floor. She sat down next to him, Indian-style and looked at Raven expectantly.

"I wanted to talk to you," Raven started slowly, unsure of how she should start.

"What about?"

"This whole resigning thing you laid on us this morning."

Starfire colored slightly as she looked at Silkie ashamedly.

"Oh yes, I was going to speak to all of you later tonight," she said quietly, "You do not need to preoccupy yourself with my decision."

"See, that's where you and I disagree. I do preoccupy with this foolish decision you made. I understand where you're coming from, don't get me wrong, but you should know better than to push us away."

"I am not, that's what you don't understand," Starfire sighed, petting Silkie with her hand and he licked her between her fingers, Raven grimaced at the sight.

"I don't want you to get involved with intergalactic problems," explained Starfire, "But mostly, this is kind o personal."

"Listen, Star, I hate getting all sentimental and after-school special on you but you're forcing me here. As your friends, we're always going to be on your butt when bad things happen. You guys taught me that when Trigon tried taking over, remember?"

"That was different—"

Raven scoffed, waving her hand at her.

"How was that different?"

Starfire frowned. She was getting a little tired of trying to explain how she felt. For once, her heart was not on her sleeve or any other part of her clothes and her emotions were too bundled to make any good sense.

"Please, friend, you have to trust me."

Raven narrowed her eyes, a perfect interpretation of Robin.

"Can you at least tell me what you are planning to do?"

Starfire knew Raven to take things calmly but she was afraid to tell her nonetheless. It was, after all, an extreme thing to do. What was sadder was the fact that she had no choice.

"There is one way I can win my freedom. I am still a slave of the Gordanians. Their property, so to speak. But if there is one thing that the Gordanians love more than experiments, it's blood. They are a warrior race, much like us Tamaranians but while Tamaranians will fight to the death for our reasons, we have never been one to actually start the fight. That has always fallen on the Gordanians. Since the Gordanians love fights, they have designed something called the Sond'heir."

Starfire paused to open the door for Silkie, who had been whimpering for the last couple of minutes. He scampered out happily, probably going to the couch where Beast Boy always played with him in the shape of large larvae,

"What's a Sond'heir?" asked Raven as Starfire sat back down. Starfire sighed, taking a couple of minutes to think about it. As an empath, Raven easily picked up her feelings, mostly because Starfire was not working hard at hiding them at the time. Finally, Starfire spoke.

"Please understand that I have no other choice, Raven. Galfore and I have thought about it and we have discussed this as well. Even he knows he cannot change my mind though he will try to until the very last minute."

Making sure Raven understood all of this, Starfire continued.

"A Sond'heir has two meanings. In Gordanian, it simply means a bloody battle, a war of sorts. But slaves have their own language, no matter what planet you came from originally, all the pain, the sorrow you've gone through makes you connected to each other and those who have shared this sadness with you can comprehend you completely. In our language, Sond'heir means merciful suicide."

Raven was taken aback. Never had she heard such a word leave Starfire's lips. The girl who always had a smile on her face, the one who kept them from drowning in their own seriousness was now talking about suicide. What was worse was that she was considering---no, she had elected this.

"Raven, listen, please," Starfire continued, her eyes looking straight into Raven's darker ones, "It is called merciful suicide because the only way out of slavery is through death or winning the tournament. You see, two slaves are put against each other, to fight until the death and the victorious one gets freedom. But in all my years as a slave, I have never witnessed a winner walk out of the arena nor have I ever heard of such a story. But this is my only chance. I do not wish to run anymore and I do not wish to be a slave any longer."

A quiet settled over them, neither peaceful nor uncomfortable. Raven was still processing the information she had just been given. Then a thought struck her.

"You haven't told Robin yet." It was not a question.

"Of course not, you do not see me tied to a chair, right?"

Raven chuckled but sobered quickly. Her face became serious again as she looked at Starfire, her gaze strong and serious.

"I am not the one to tell you whether you are right in doing this or not. But you are my friend and I cannot let you go through this. I understand your reasoning—but it does not mean I will not join Robin in tying you to a chair for the rest of your life."

It seemed Starfire could not stop sighing that day and again, she took a deep breath and let it out.

"We're going with you, Star."

"I thought you would be on my side," said Starfire tiredly, a small smile on her face.

"Tough break, kid," she said jokingly, standing up, "You going to inform us of your decision now?"

Starfire nodded, her shoulders slumping forwards. She walked as one condemned to the Common Room, Raven walking next to her and strangely enough, her reaction to her decision made Starfire feel better. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad if they came with her. Perhaps they could give her strength to win. But could she win? What had she said a couple of minutes ago, that no one had won these tournaments? The slave quarters had been filled of stories of people who simply did not wish to continue to live. Starfire had heard thousands of tales of bloody fights, the screams of the wounded and the determination of those willing to kill for freedom.

Starfire realized she had not given this much thought herself. After all, that's what it was in the end. No one had ever won the battles; why would she? Rethinking her idea of them going with her, Starfire stopped mid-way.

"No, I don't want to tell them."

"Star—"

"No, Raven, I do not want you to witness---"

Raven seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"You're not going to---"

Starfire felt her body start trembling, the truth finally setting in. Was this the only thing she had left? To fight to the death for her freedom? Was she truly going to die? Would she be able to commit murder? The world around Starfire became blurry and she cursed herself in Tamaranean, or it could have been English, she wasn't too sure by then. She had opened her mouth to her friends and now they would follow her to see her collapse as a slave, an experiment, a failure of every sort, as a queen, a weapon, and a Titan. Her vision became watery and though she could hear Raven's voice in the distance, her mind soon became blank. She didn't want to perish, not like this, not so soon…

The world went black.

* * *

"No, don't reprimand her, that's not what she needs right now."

"Dude, seriously, she's sick, just let her be."

"B.B.'s right, man, let the girl be for right now, it's not like she's awake to hear you anyway."

"No, she needs to be told that what she's doing is stupid. How can she think we were just going to let her walk out to that? She's insane! How the fuck she thought we were just going to say, yes go on, get yourself killed out there, or worse---"

"Stop babbling, you're going to wake her."

Starfire moaned loudly, rubbing her head as she sat up.

Bad idea.

The world went into a whirl and she lay back down, mumbling softly under her breath.

"Dudes, she woke up."

The Titans walked next to her bed, leaving only Robin behind.

"Hey, girl, you gave us a scare there," said Cyborg amicably, smiling at her as she tried to sit up again. She accepted the glass of water Beast Boy handed to her and drank it slowly.

"What happened?"

"You fainted," said Raven quietly, putting a hand to her head. Her palm touched her right temple and she felt a surge of energy coming from Raven.

"You seem to be ok now, though,"

"I am sorry to scare you all. I feel idiotic."

"No worries," said Beast Boy, turning into a dog and jumping on her lap. She giggled, caressing him softly as he wagged his tail happily.

"That's so not sanitary," said Raven disgustedly.

Starfire threw a glance at Robin, who was leaning against the closed door. The rest of t he team noticed him waiting there and they looked at each other.

"Well, I guess we'll be going now—"

"No! Please, stay. I have to tell you much."

Raven nodded at her when Starfire looked to her for strength. She intertwined her fingers together, feeling her sweaty palms come together as she looked around the Titans. They looked at her curiously, or at least, Cyborg and Beast boy did. Robin's left side seemed to be glued to the edge of the door and though his face gave away nothing, she knew he was listening intently.

"My decision on leaving is not certain yet. I have… _many_ things to think about. I might have jumped over the gun on my resolution to leave. I need to speak to Galfore again. He will help me with my ordeal."

"You still haven't told us what you're options are," spoke Robin from the corner, his voice cold and unattached. Starfire resisted a flinch that yearned to pass through her body when he spoke. Speaking to them was not like speaking to Raven. She and Raven had gotten closer as of lately, mainly because Raven had gotten used to Starfire's enthusiasm and Starfire had gotten used to Raven's lack thereof. So when she had told Raven, she had not felt as nervous as she did now. Her body became cold and butterflies seemed to be attacking each other in her stomach.

"There is a battle in the Gordanian culture called Sond'heir. It is fought between two slaves or sometimes between slave and master but that us rare. It is a harsh battle and there must be only one winner."

"So, if you kick ass then you can come back home?" asked Beast Boy, switching back to human form and sitting at the edge of her bed.

"Yes—"

"But?" interjected Robin, his voice dubious.

"It is a battle to the death."

The room was filled with silence as she said this but she found the strength to continue. Somehow.

"And no one has been known to win it to this day."

She was done. She had said what was needed to say. Now, she squirmed under the heavy silence that surrounded her. While Raven looked unaffected and Cyborg and Beast Boy were shocked, Robin looked like he was going to have a stroke. She prepared herself for the outburst. She wouldn't blame him if he cursed at her, screamed at her, and called her anything under this sky. She was prepared for his hurt accusations and his loud roars of incredulous anger. Anything from him she would have accepted. But Robin did no such thing.

He turned and walked out of the room.

Starfire sis not dare to go find Robin that night. Thankfully, there had been no villains to catch that entire day so Starfire spent it resting. At night, in order to keep herself from going crazy, she decided to call Galfore once more. He would settle her, his sweet face always did, and she longed for a presence of wisdom at the moment. She waited patiently for the connection to go through, eating out of a bag of potato chips and dipping them into cream cheese. They were delicious.

She was put on hold to speak to Galfore. It seemed he had important things to finish. She complied and started watching a movie instead. She knew he must be busy with the kingdom; she only hoped that they weren't horrible things. Things concerning her. She settled to watch 'The Breakfast club,' one of her favorite movies. Beast boy had been the one to get her into movies.

'They'll smooth you into Earthly life,' he had told her wisely, 'you shall soon get all my jokes.'

She was thoroughly disappointed when she still did not understand why a chicken would cross a road? What was so important about the other side?

As she laughed at Allison's attempt at making snow with her dandruff, the screen flickered and Galfore's face came on. Starfire couldn't help the gasp that came out of her. Galfore had never looked this tired before, or this preoccupied. It seemed to be the trend nowadays.

"Galfore, what is the matter?"

"Oh, little one, it's been incredible around here," he shook his head, "I cannot find some quiet time around here."

Starfire gave him a sympathetic look. He had circle under his eyes, his hair was in a state of disarray, and his skin looked pale.

"What has happened?'

He did not seem to want to tell her but he obviously thought it was important.

"It seems Komand'er has escaped from prison," he paused to nod at Starfire's gasp but he frowned as he continued, "However, I am not so quick to believe this."

"Why not? She has done it before."

"Yes but it does not seem to fit," Galfore said pensively, "Her cell was smashed completely but she had been wearing a power collar her entire stay. They say someone could have come for her but there are no records of such a visit. They're giving a lot of half believable explanations but none of them make sense to me."

"What do you think this means?" asked Starfire quietly, her fists closed tightly and resting on her bosom.

"I am not sure, my bongorf, but I can tell you it is not something good."

His eyes became unfocused as he looked at her and she let him be for a few minutes. He snapped back to reality within moments and looked at her softly, his eyes regaining that familiar spark.

"What brings you to call, Koriand'er?"

"I am petrified, Galfore. I truly do not know what to do. There is this—thing at the pit of my stomach that threatens my very sanity—"

For the first time in a long time, she felt her eyes sting and her throat close. Her heart pounded madly in her chest and she found herself short of breath.

"I don't know what to do," she shook her head angrily, "No, I do know. I'm just scared of what it means for me."

"Be relaxed, princess. You are in bad shape," Galfore looked at her worriedly, the pain of watching despair was clearly sketched on his face, "I am sure you are talking about Sond'heir, yes?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.

"As I have told you before, I believe this is not an option for you. The best thing to do would be to hide until this blows over. One can easily say you have hidden yourself in another planet. But--- you do not wish to run anymore, is that right?"

"That is correct. I do not wish to be a coward any longer but Galfore, I also don't wish to die."

Her voice broke and it took all of her strength to not start crying.

"Little one, I beg of you to not involve yourself in this," he told her, his voice full of anxiousness and sorrow, "I would not bear it if something happened to you."

"Oh Galfore," Starfire breathed, "I have no other option. I beg of you to give me another choice."

Galfore sighed. He looked down, perhaps to look at his hands or just to think but the sight did nothing to make Starfire feel better.

A moment of silence passed.

"Galfore," spoke Starfire at last, "When can I come back to Tamaran?"

He looked up, his eyes tired and red. She wished she did not have to be the one to bring Galfore all this pain. She tried not to look away from him. She was ashamed, terrified, and worst of all, she was trapped.

"As soon as you wish, Koriand'er."

"I shall contact you when I am prepared, then."

He nodded, his eyebrows coming together and his face fell.

"I shall speak to you soon," said Starfire, her gaze lowering to the ground.

"Yes," she heard him say quietly, "Sweet dreams, my sweet bongorf."

"And to you, adron Gnorfka," she whispered, her voice breaking. The screen remained for a second or do before flickering back to the movie. The transition had ended.

And for the first time in a long time, Starfire began to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm FREAKING back!

* * *

Back in the days of her slavery, crying had not been an option for Koriand'er. It was a weak thing to do; it only showed how inferior she was when in the presence of others. She had been taught this lesson at the very beginning of her slavery. At eight years of age, one cannot help but to cry over the fact that you are no longer home. She had been thrust into a strange new world, a world where her presence was merely tolerated, her existence meant very little to those around her, and that included her sister. Komand'er had been sold with Koriand'er as a duel package.

No one would have taken Komand'er without her sister. She was not of full Tamaranian blood and because of this disability, she was worth very little by herself. With this is mind, Komand'er was filled with hatred and bitterness. Not sure whether it was pointed at her sister or her own bad luck, Komand'er dealt with it as best as she could. But feelings like that eat you up inside; it is a thunderstorm waiting to be released and some way or another, it has to be freed, especially when your mind and body were being abused in incomprehensible ways. Her physical scars had healed and all but disappeared but it did not mean that they did not remain in a more intimate part of her.

Starfire shook her head, trying to stop the tears. Though she was no longer with the Gordanians, what she had been taught there would never leave her.

"Rutha," she whispered softly, her eyes still watery but her emotions had stopped raging within her. She looked up at the screen, still paused with Allison and her strange manners. Starfire took the remote and turned it off, leaving the room in pure darkness and silence. It would yet another trying day tomorrow and she had to face it.

Walking back to her room, she was too deep in her own thoughts to notice the shadow around the corner. Her eyes were lowered to the ground so she did not notice she had walked straight into Robin, who seemed as surprise as she was to meet her in the middle of the night.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" he asked her callously, as a way of hello.

"I am feeling well now," she said tiredly, "I just need sleep."

He nodded at her but kept his eyes on her as she walked around him. He could not tolerate speaking to her at the moment. Though he did know for a fact that he could not tolerate her lies at the moment, he had that voice inside of his head that screamed out that it was, of course, her lies he could withstand and not Starfire herself. Robin loved her with every fiber in his being and a couple of fabrications would not break that. And it was then, in the middle of his thoughts that his sharp eyes drew upon hers, red and blotchy. He hesitated for a minute. He was never one to talk to girls about their feelings, much less if they had been crying. But then again, the little crazy part of his mind said, Starfire is not just any girl.

She was Starfire.

His courage level rising, he turned and looked at her worriedly. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, making sure her surprised eyes looked into his own masked ones.

"Why have you been crying?"

Starfire's eyes lowered, her brows coming together in shame.

"I did not feel well but now I feel—better."

She knew it was a dreadful excuse and that of course, Robin would want something better. If he had been willing to try to talk to her even though she knew he was mega pissed off at her, he would not let go of her.

He didn't.

The trademark narrowing of the eyes followed her silence.

"I talked to Galfore."

Robin said nothing but after a while, he sighed. He gently led her back to the Common Room but she stopped him. She shook her head, indicting she did not want to go back. He respected her wish but preferred if she had come with him. He needed a long talk with her but obviously, that was not in her head at the moment.

"Why in the world would you withhold such information from us, Star?"

"About Galfore---"

"No," Robin sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair. It was no longer filled to the brim with gel and it had grown a lot since he refused to cut it. He wanted to try something new, he had told her. So the spiky hair was history and replaced by shoulder length jet black hair. He was on his way to becoming who Starfire knew he was meant to become. She never said anything about his hair; she had liked it the moment she had set eyes on an older Robin who didn't call himself that….. a sadder Robin….lonelier.

"Not Galfore, you know what I mean."

"Must we talk about this at the moment, Robin? I am very tired—"

"Star, you're avoiding this," he said, his voice exasperated and full of worry, "This is not something you just decide by yourself. You have to think about those who care about you as well."

"Robin, I do not need a lesson in this. I understand exactly what you are saying," she looked out the window, one of the many that Titans Tower contained. This particular window did not face the city but the ocean itself. This is where the river bled into the ocean, became one with it and when it couldn't be called river or ocean anymore. It was both.

"I have decided to go through with this because I do not want to run in fear again," she turned back to smile at him, a small one but a real smile, "Last time I was lucky to find you and our friends. I will not be so lucky next time."

"Then let us go with you. The Titans and I, we'll find another way."

Starfire smiled once again but this smile contrasted the one from before. This was a sad smile, a bleak one, one that almost mocked his hope.

"You will find no such thing. In outer planets, the rules are laid down and nothing can change them. I do not wish for you to witness my demise, whether it is death or slavery."

Robin's hands shot up straight for her face. He raised her chin up, making eye contact unavoidable.

"You will be in neither situation, you understand?"

He said it with such fierceness that Starfire could not help the small flutter of hope in her heart.

"You and I will resolve this nonsense and we will return home safe. Are you getting this, Star? I will not let you go without a fight."

"You mean, you and the rest of the team, yes?"

Her tone contained a hint of teasing but an overall sense of warmth that passed through her body. Caught, Robin had no choice but to smile and blush a little.

"Of course."

"Are you awfully angry at me, Robin?"

Sighing heavily, he gave her a sheepish smile, his mouth falling in a chiding line.

"I was beyond angry, Star. I went into a rage of madness. I mean, the training room took quite a beating and heard some pretty foul language in there," he chuckled here, almost as if letting go the last bit of irritation in him, "But I just want you to know that you cannot leave this tower without the rest of us. I made sure of that."

"You—You mean, you set the Tower to lock me up?"

"Seriously?" he raised his eyebrows, as if to say 'what was one to do?'

"Yes." He finished with a shrug.

Starfire gasped but it wasn't because of any angry thoughts. Just to know he would do resort to that point made her feel good inside though she thought it strange that a form of constriction and removal of her personal will would make her feel elated.

"Thank you?"

He smiled.

"You're welcome."

Starfire thought it would be a perfect time for him to give her what she so desperately wanted. The moon was nowhere to be seen but the light given off by the tower shed a slight luminosity on them. He was a gorgeous sight indeed. Never had she set eyes on such a fine specimen of a male. Back in Tamaran, she was too young to understand what her ladies-in-waiting (as they were known here on Earth) would chat about. The strong features, the devil may care attitude; the little things that made their hearts go all a-shiver. But now she understood.

His face was that of a young man, not yet fully developed but enough to see that he would make girls faint with a mere glance. His jaw was a soft one, clear cut and strong but soft nonetheless. His face was not a harsh shape to look at but clearly defined. His body was slim but there was no telling the extremes it could handle. Though lean in shape, he could easily defeat villains three times his size and perhaps because of his trim body, he was so agile and lithe. His mind was a maze of knowledge with passageways full of wisdom he had learned from his mentor and from his own errors and mistakes.

In her eyes, he was a pillar of strength, a catalyst for her own power and potential.

"Star?"

She shook her head to clear her thoughts only to whip Robin with her hair and making him sputter. She had leaned into him without realizing, her face a mask of dreaminess. To say she was embarrassed was a major understatement.

"I am so sorry, I did not mean—"

She looked down to the floor, blushing furiously. She would have taken the ship back to Tamaran at that very moment if it had been possible, regardless of the monstrosities it held for her. She felt like melting.

"S'ok," he mumbled, looking down on her kindly, "No big deal."

Star scoffed lightly, rolling her eyes but making sure she did not meet his. Why couldn't a house fall on her like it did on the cartoons she watched on Saturday mornings?

Her palms were still pushed up against his chest and she noticed he was breathing heavily as well. His heart was pounding. Was he feeling the same adrenaline rush that she was feeling?

"Would it be so bad to act upon it?" she asked quietly, knowing she need not explain what 'it' was. She also knew the answer.

She felt his nod rather than see it.

"Even though I might have to leave the Titans for some time?"

"That will not happen."

"Would you not take the chance if it did happen?"

She felt his breath on the side of her face. Maybe he was contemplating her words, his feelings, and their closeness.

"No,"

She sighed and with the warmth his body gave off, she felt a surge of boldness. She tiptoed to whisper in his ear, taking notice of his bewildered face but instead of pulling back, she thrust herself forward. She noticed the wonderful musky smell eluding from him, mixing with the clean fragrance of shampoo and enticing her totally.

"I suggest you do, Robin" she whispered gently, letting his name roll off her tongue leisurely, "That way you and I will have no regrets."

She pulled back, leaving the heat of his body and stepped back. She smiled at his agape face but as soon as her senses caught up with her, she turned on her heel and walked away. Mentally abusing herself, she walked the Towers' corridor and slid into her room.

X'hal….

God…..

She'd be the end of him. She was going to drive him insane. Her very presence usually sent his mind spinning and his heart racing. Her closeness a few moments ago had left more than a lasting impact on him. She had awakened the very thing he had been trying to subdue. Nothing bad in him; in fact, it was quite normal. But when you had grown up in the Wayne mansion and you had been taught by the Dark knight himself, you were bound to pick up some bad habits here and there. He had picked up one of the worst; the ability to push away those who meant the most to you---and quite harshly at that.

He groaned in his hands, rubbing his eyes as if to bore out the feeling inside the pit of his stomach. It had felt good to be so close to her. No---that was not it.

It had felt right.

Mumbling something inside of his hands, he thought of her words (though he had to admit he had not heard much except the way she had muttered his name).

Perhaps something could arise between them, without all the problems that Wayne had bore into his brain. What did Bruce know anyway? Most of his relationships didn't workout at all and the ones that had the chance to work, he deserted them like an unwanted piece of cake. Though Robin respected his mentor, it did not mean he had to live by his rules. He was no longer under his roof or his shadow; he had the chance to make his own decisions.

But he knew full well it was not the fear of what Bruce had told him. She would not become his weakness. If anything, she was his strength, his strong suit when everything else fails. She would not cloud his judgments as a leader. He knew the difference between Leader of the Titans and anything else he might be with her.

He wasn't too worried about the whole villain issue as well. Bruce had taught him the inside workings of madmen everywhere. Their sole purpose, their wild thinking, and radical disruptions of everyday life all hailed from one thing. And when heroes like Batman and Robin made it their very purpose to stop it, no one knows the distance these madmen would go for revenge.

But Starfire could handle herself. He wasn't worried about that. For a while he had been a little preoccupied about it but it was mostly because of Slade. He was the only one Robin could truly say he feared for Starfire's safety. But even with him in the picture, Robin truly believed he had nothing much to worry about. Maybe it was his young age that made him so hopeful and optimistic in a situation where Bruce would make him believe was not worth it. Bruce would argue that villains such as Slade would go to great lengths to make him suffer. Why give them that chance?

But Robin did not see it that way. He and Star could handle it. It wouldn't be the first time they had been tested and certainly not the last. If push comes to shove, he would happily give up his life for hers. There was also the possibility of being someone else other than just Robin. Maybe Richard could emerge after so many years of hibernation.

So what stopped him?

Pure cowardice.

He knew he could make her happy. He had it in him to make her smile, laugh, and make sure she knew how much he loved her. No one had ever denied the fact and with time, he saw he could not hide his feelings. He did not fight it but accept it. That happens when one grows up. You see things in better perspective. So he was no longer afraid of the feelings he had for her. He was just terrified that by being himself with her, he would bring her down along with him. He wasn't exactly mentally stable, much less emotionally stable. Anger always got the best of him (thought with her it took less time for him to calm down) and it made him do idiotic things. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve a lot of things he did.

And yet…

The strange urge to be near her overwhelmed him.

'It's a friendship thing,' he told himself as he made his way to her room. He was just worried since she was going through such a mess. He was just there to make her feel better. He was going to tell her that she had nothing to be ashamed of, that he felt the same way, and try to explain to her why they just could not be.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of her door. He scratched his head and decided to stall by noticing the stickers on her wall. The first one he noticed was not a sticker but a picture. It was Silkie, smiling happily as he was fed by Starfire who was also smiling. He could tell all the different smiles she had. With him, she was always caught between the enthusiastic smile and the sad, small smiles that wrenched his heart. There were ones she gave him of pure mischief. Maybe when she told a joke or when she knew she was making him uncomfortable. This one was one of pure delight. His eyes slowly traveled down to another picture. This one had the team enjoying a slice a pizza. It included Terra which did not surprise Robin in the least. Though Beast Boy had been the one most affected by Terra's betrayal, it had never sat well with Starfire that they had to do all the things they did to Terra. She had not enjoyed attacking a former friend, no matter what she had done to them. It had been many nights were he had found her watching movies in the middle of the night because of nightmares. 'She haunts my dreams,' she told him sadly, her eyes quickly filling with tears but she blinked them back quickly.

His eyes left the happy group as they fought for the pizza, a picture taken a long time before they had been aware of Terra's disloyalty.

He came upon stickers of Jump City, Hello Kitty stickers, stickers with sayings such as 'Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.' By Robert Frost or 'I was nauseous and tingly all over. I was either in love or I had smallpox,' by Woody Allen.

He laughed gently as he read a piece of paper scribbled with (what he recognized instantly) to be Beast Boy's handwriting. It read:

'I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face."  
I said, "You'll be sorry."  
He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?"  
I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."  
By Emo Philips.

The door opened, much to Robin's surprise and before he knew it, he was standing in front of a pajama clad Starfire. A big goofy smile still lingered on his face from the joke he had read but he could feel it slipping down his mouth.

"Uh…"

"Yes, Robin?"

"Uh…"

She blinked.

"I was coming to—well, I came to tell you that—" He looked around her doorframe, inspecting the silver lining as if it was the most important thing in the world.

"Uh…"

"Why do you make this so difficult?" Starfire asked quietly, catching on to him immediately, her eyes narrowing a bit. Her eyes were extremely different than anybody else's. Both eyes were a light green color and though you could still see the dark green iris and her pupils, the luster from her eye color was something that always captivated Robin.

"I don't know," he said honestly, "It's a gift."

She sighed. While her eyes searched his own face for any clues, she reached for his arm. With her touch, the hairs on his arm quickly reacted, sending goosebumps up his spine.

She laughed.

"Your own body can't even fake it," she said with a chuckle, purposely coming closer to him. She was not one to hide her feelings and being this close to him felt perfect to her. If she could steal a few moments with him like this, she would happily do so. But while she was enjoying this small moment with him, his eyes had traveled to her room unexpectedly.

"What are you doing, Star?"

Her eyes slowly rose to meet his and saw his line of view. He had spotted her room, once so full of knick knacks, was now all but empty. Her strange animal which served as a suitcase was packed to the brim. She was preparing to go.

"I have been packing," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I am planning on leaving soon."

"When?" Robin asked, his voice no longer strange and teenage-like but instead, the voice of a leader.

"As soon as I possibly can,"

"Well, you were going to tell us right?" She nodded to confirm which only made him narrow his eyes at her until they were barely slits.

"A considerable amount of time before your departure?"

"Uh…"

He groaned loudly, fighting the urge to slap his head in anger.

"I thought we discussed this…"

"No, Robin. You talked, I merely listened."

Leaning his hand against the frame of the door, he groaned loudly. He was becoming quite frustrated with her stubbornness and to tell the truth, he was not going to take it anymore.

"Listen here, Star. The Titans have all decided we are going with you so there's nothing you can do but wait a while until we all get ready, you understand?"

She too sighed in frustration but while he had been angry, Starfire was near tears again. The more she felt the prickle behind her eyes, the more irritated she became with herself.

"Is it truly hard to understand that I don't need you?" she finally shouted, incensed as never before. The stress put on her was beyond what she could handle. As if it wasn't enough with the prospect of a suicidal battle hanging over her head, now her friends wanted to be there to witness it?

She looked up to Robin, who wore his usual scowl as always. However, with that scowl, there was also that speck of hurt somewhere, hidden in his face. She could instantly tell, though. And that broke her heart.

"Robin?"

"Stay put. That's an order."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
Why couldn't she understand that the only reason they were being so stubborn was because they cared about her? Why was she so willing to meet her death out there? Maybe there was a way they could help; they would do anything necessary to help her. As friends, they were there for each other, through the good and the bad. They had proved this many times over.

But what was the real reason?

As an incredibly livid and heated Robin walked through the halls of Titans Tower, he knew what the reason was. He would die a thousand painful deaths than watch Starfire leave to a dangerous place and an even worse possibility without him being there to watch out for her. He would rather cut off all his fingers and have them fed to him. Stomping through Titans Tower, he tried to cal himself.

He was seeing red and that was never a good sign.

Would she never see where he was coming from? He loved her, cared for her in ways beyond reasonable. Sure, he pushed her away many times and told her to forget about any romantic situation between them….but it didn't mean it wasn't there.

Now he knew why Raven was always complaining about his 'tsunami' of a mind. She had told him once, 'You can't control all the contradicting thoughts in your head and it's creating a dangerous wave of unstable emotions. It's corroding your very being and without tranquility, you will suffer total calamity. ' He had merely looked at her funny, responding quite frustratingly, 'Why can't you ever use normal English?'

But maybe in her mumble jumbo she had been right about one thing. He was beyond corroded, especially when it came to Starfire. He smiled ruefully, knowing very well that even if she did bring 'tsunamis' in him, he would never give it up for anything in the world. There was so much more to them than just friendship or even any romantic feelings. It was what most people search for their entire lives. That small piece of them that is missing, miniscule but important beyond comprehension. The one person who could get under their skin like no one else and who would continue to do so, no matter the circumstances or the distance between them.

Yep, that was her.

And the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. _Of course, _he wouldn't let her go so easily. She must be out of her _freakin'_ mind if she thought he would happily say, "Go ahead, Star, go into a dangerous place in space where you will march into a suicidal battle and most likely get yourself killed. Just because we are your friends, we won't care if you die or not. Do as you friggin' wish!"

He growled loudly, hoping for a second that he was nowhere Raven's room. She could be quite scary when woken up so late at night.

He looked at the wall, resting his forehead on the cool surface. What could he do? Half of him wanted to go back to her and the other half (his ego, most likely) wanted to go back to his room and leave her for tonight.

His insane side won the long winded battle, causing him to mutter a couple of obscenities as he walked back (more like stomped back).

Before he knew it, he found himself in front of her door again. But this time, he did not procrastinate and knocked loudly on the door. A few moments later, when his fist was about to thump on the door again, he came face to face with Starfire.

Her eyes were still wide and green, her face the same as always; pure of innocence and beauty. Her hair was flowing down her back and away from her face, her sad and at the moment, cheerless face. Her lips parted, probably to tell him something or ask in surprise why he was there. He would never truly find out and in fact, he cared very little about what she had to say.

With all the fury he had inside him and the utter frustration he felt (not to mention the hormones), he crushed his lips against hers in a fierce kiss.

She gave a small squeal as her eyes widened but he didn't see it. He was too busy wondering how her lips could be so pillowy and taste so sweet…..

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

I just realized that I did not put what 'adron' means. It just means sweet or dear, like when Star called Galfore 'Adron G'norfka'. It was mentioned in chapter 5 at the very end and soon again. Also, I'm sorry the story's moving so slowly but I did not anticipate my updating to take so darn long. These chapters were supposed to take two weeks, tops. So in all, just some R/S fluff, if you can handle it and next chapter as well.

* * *

Was it so hard to believe that perhaps Robin had no option but to take the plunge? In a matter of seconds where he had looked at Starfire, her wide green eyes, pouty lips, and her very demeanor, he had decided right there and then to go for it. After all, what did it matter if they were putting each other in danger; screw Batman and his 'wisdom'. Even if they did not get involved with each other, would that mean that he wouldn't hurt if someone hurt Starfire? Would he not go into a raging charge against whoever hurt her? Would his heart not feel as if it had been ripped from his very chest?

And that's when he knew.

He had nothing to lose by kissing her. He would only gain.

So he kissed her.

Hard.

At first, her squeal was enough for him to stop. His eyes opened, frightened that he might have gone too far, but he had nothing to fear. Her eyes had already closed and her arms had snaked around his neck. The slight queasiness of nervousness had slowly but surely left him and it was being replaced by a calmer feeling, almost peaceful. His mind was a raging mess in contrast, his brain not quite believing what his body was doing and his body screaming for his brain to stop interrupting.

His arms held her around her waist, as if to stop her from falling. Her body was pressed against his and he could feel the warmth radiating throughout them. Perhaps it was because of her powers but Starfire always seemed to be giving off heat. 'My own personal radiator' he thought mischievously but he quickly realized that with her being so close and their lips locked in such a passionate kiss, mischievous was not the way to go.

After a few seconds, Starfire slowly drew back, letting her lips linger against his for a moment. It took all of her strength to not give a love-sick moan of pleasure and managed to just sigh quietly.

"I am glad you changed your mind, Robin," she said softly, her eyes still closed and resting her forehead against his.

"Me too," he answered just as quietly but added as an afterthought, so she knew she wasn't going to be pardoned sp quickly, "But I'm still angry at you. Enamored but angry."

She giggled, letting the soft explosions of breath hit his moist lips and coaxing him down for another kiss. He happily gave in.

Neither could be bothered to tell you how long they stayed in her room or what they did specifically but as Robin came out of her chamber with a goofy grin on his face, one could have easily guessed. Before he left, they had had a little chat; very nonchalantly spoken words were passed between them about their future though the issue was anything but a casual topic.

He pulled back from her, kneeling over her as they sat on her floor and gave her few kisses on her nose.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked when he stopped his caresses. Her eyes were still closed, happily enjoying the quiet around them and the air full of spark and excitement. His scent wafted over her and it was strange for her to feel so intoxicated by it. His very touch made her feel drunk, as if her head had been filled with air and making her dizzy. But this felt good, too good. Obviously, Robin felt the same way. However, Robin could always be counted on to think about the more serious parts of the matter. Like now.

"Us," he answered truthfully, "What should we be in the presence of others?"

"We will be us," Starfire said softly, confused about where he was going with this.

"Of course we'll be us," he said, looking at a certain spot on her shoulder, "But we need to remain professional when we go into battle."

"Aww," moaned Starfire, letting her head hang to the side and giving him her best disappointed expression, "I thought we would make out during battles, you know, fight with one hand," she demonstrated this by waving her hand carelessly to her non-existent attacker, "and hold each other with the other hand." She started making kissy sounds and pouting her lips at him.

He chuckled as he reached for her flailing arm and held it firmly against the side of her bed. She smiled at him as he lowered his face to hers and gave her a quick peck on her lips, just because he could.

"Do not worry. Nothing will change." She assured him as he pulled back. He grimaced and gave a soft scoff.

"Well, if I didn't want things to change between us I would have never kissed you, now would I? I know that you and I will be able to handle this new---stage of our relationship. Just don't feel bad if I'm not all lovey-dovey like those guys on television."

She smiled, her eyes rolling to the ceiling, as if imagining a hard vision.

"Robin running through the beach with me, hand in hand, with a violin quartet in the background and wearing Hawaiian shorts---"

She didn't get to finish describing her scene, unfortunately, seeing as Robin's lips slammed into hers once again in a frenzy to bore the image out of his head. She giggled but did not struggle against him. It felt good to be more than just friends.

After a couple of tense days, she felt relaxed at last. But at the same time, a small part of her mind kept nagging her; harassing her to discover that the may have tangled themselves in a big web, intertwined each other with the problems she had to face in a couple if days. Her body felt completely loose and though her psyche kept bugging her, she ignored it completely. She wasn't meditating with Raven for nothing, after all. She could control herself if needed. And right now, she didn't want to feel, see, or acknowledge anything but Robin.

Though parting was sweet sorrow, part they did. They both felt extremely relieved, as if a great weight had been taken off their shoulders. It was then that Robin realized just how much this feeling had afflicted him. He felt positively….. giddy. And Robin _never_ felt giddy. He hung his cape near his bedroom door as he came in, his face containing a big goofy grin that spread from ear to ear as he sat in front of his computer. Feeling strangely refreshed, he immersed himself in his work even though it was late already. He too was plagued by dark thoughts concerning a luscious red head but he also decided to cast them away for the night. They deserved a break and they had obtained a big one. For once, he felt alleviated to suddenly have his name with another again. He hated how Batman and Robin sounded but he absolutely loved the sound of Starfire and Robin.

* * *

The next day, the team gathered for their daily morning ritual with Starfire being the first one there and handling the breakfast preparations. She had bestowed herself with this job seeing as every time Cyborg or Beast Boy did it, it always ended up with a loud argument, something that none of them wanted. She loved her friends but if she had to play peacemaker again to another pointless arguments….

Raven was a wonderful cook but that was Starfire's opinion. To the others, she was an atrocious cook, to put it mildly. Starfire couldn't understand why the rest of the team did not enjoy her pancakes, all runny on the inside and burnt on the outside or her extra runny eggs that ripple and flow in your mouth. Whatever their reason, they had begged Raven never to cook again, even if the world suddenly contained no one else who could cook an edible morsel. They claimed they could survive on air if need be. Needless to say, Raven had taken very little offense to their words seeing as she hated cooking herself.

Robin was a great cook, on the other hand. His eggs were never runny, his pancakes were crisp and fresh and even his bacon was perfection. The only problem was that he liked to start the day off training at the gym. He woke up extra early in order to train and cooking was not going to divert him from this habit of his.

So the job had fallen on Starfire. The team had found out that if she didn't go anywhere near her Tamaranian recipes, her cooking was quite excellent. All she had to do was follow the instructions and do exactly what the book said. When she did, her meals tasted delicious (though Beast boy insisted she still added a couple of Tamaranian ingredients after finding a large green blob of fibers in his soup to which Raven quickly countered that it was, perhaps, just perhaps, his own large green blob of hairs).

She did it happily, of course. Anything to make her friends content. But today, she cooked more than usual, making a big banquet out of eggs, tofu, bacon, and toast. She happily set the table as her friends arrived, one by one to the feast. They were overjoyed, to say the least. Beast Boy's eyes watered at his own delicious breakfast (though he gave a nasty look in Cyborg's direction as he ogled the bacon).

Once the entire team arrived, they all sat down to eat. No one noticed anything different though Cyborg did ask what the occasion was for such a feast.

"I felt happy," was her response and briefly glanced at Robin who gave her a small smile before sipping on his coffee. Starfire knew that Raven had figured it out but only because she had a special connection to both of them. She merely ate her toast and sipped her herbal tea but said nothing.

The day went remarkably fast with very little happening. There were no news of Plasmus or any other villain so the Titans spent their time playing games on the roof for the day was a cool one with a warm breeze to brighten the temperature in Jump City. Once the team got tired of playing, they went back inside the Tower to get food and dessert. Starfire declined their invitation to eat but instead went to meditate with Raven who shrugged as a way of permission.

"So," Raven said in Starfire's mind, her voice containing a small amount of curiosity, "Finally, huh?"

Starfire gave the equivalent of a giggle in her mind. When they were in the mental plane, they could not see or hear each other as they did in their natural plane. Instead, they could see colors according to their emotions and in rare times, they could see each other's aura. Starfire's giggle had come out as a soft blue, reverberating in Raven's mind.

"Yes, finally," Starfire agreed, "It is quite exciting."

"I bet," Raven commented, emitting lavender light in Starfire's mind, "But there's no way anyone can tell you two have gotten together. I'm guessing that's all Robin's doing."

"Not really," Starfire deliberated, "It was a mutual agreement. We did not want to make you guys uncomfortable."

"Well, not to make _them_ uncomfortable," Raven remarked, "Robin might be a great superhero and all but that doesn't change the fact that he's still a teenage boy. And you! You're worse than he is."

"What does tha----Oh!"

The aura around them turned a harsh shade of magenta.

"We are trying to keep those emotions down, Raven, I assure you---"

"I know," Raven granted, "It's actually quite funny. I've never felt such a strong emotion from Robin that wasn't anger."

The shade of magenta slowly dissolved into a darker violet mixed with dark blue streaks.

"Star?"

"Yes?"

"What happened?"

"I am afraid."

"Of?"

Starfire pondered for a few seconds, letting Raven feel rather than hear her emotions. The world around them turned darker and darker still, the colors all blending into a big confused mess; which is exactly how Starfire felt.

"I understand what you're exuding but don't you think it's worth it?"

"Certainly it is. I just fear we might have chosen the wrong time to be together."

"That's nonsense," Raven said irritably, "Robin said the exact same thing to me once." She lowered her voice to make it sound deeper and adopted a thickness that indicated stupidity and in doing that, Starfire's mind turned into a dark, muddy orange;

'_Raven, I just don't think this is the right time to become something else.'_

Raven spluttered.

"For someone so smart, he can be really stupid."

"Oh Raven, you should understand how it feels to be so unsure on whether or not to start a relationship."

Raven let of a dark ray of energy.

"Why?"

Starfire hesitated; afraid she may have been wrong about her intuition.

"Star?"

"I thought---well, you and Beast Boy seem to be getting kind of---I don't know," she stammered, finishing cautiously, "---close."

"Oh," Raven deadpanned and paused. To Starfire's great surprise, she did not feel the wrath of Raven nor did she receive a severe reproach over the foolish comment. No, instead Star felt a sense of acceptance, rather a renounced acceptance, as if Raven had stopped fighting it.

"Yeah, but it's different with---us," she finished awkwardly, "I'm not supposed to feel this way. You can."

"Yes, well, now Robin is going to have either a dead girlfriend or a slave on his hands."

"Eh, he'll have to accept you for who you are."

"Raven!"

A small pink, quivering light traveled across Starfire's mind. Was that a laugh?

"Seriously, stop worrying. When have we ever let anything happen to you?"

"There's always a first time for everything."

Raven shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah but that time will not be this time."

The light colors floated around them, engulfing them in a sea of light and brilliance. Though it felt as if she was in a womb, Starfire loved spending time here, in another plane where she could feel totally uninhibited. She talked to Raven some more but the last serious thing she told her was when she would have a conversation with all the Titans. She would finally decide, for sure this time, when _they_ would leave for Tamaran. After that, Starfire made it her suicide mission to tease Raven about Beast Boy. Starfire had grown extremely close to Raven and she found it delightful to be able to talk to her this way. She knew they would never engage in 'girl talk' but to her, it mattered very little now. Their conversations far surpassed any 'girl talk' Starfire had been so hopeful about.

They floated away the better part of sunset and it was only when Starfire felt a warm feeling inside her belly as well as inside her head did she stop meditating. To her great surprise, it had been Robin who had awoken her.

"We ordered pizza. You want some?"

Nodding, she and Raven floated back down to the floor and followed Robin into the Tower. It was time for a talk.

* * *

While the rest of the team munched happily on the pizza, Starfire took this time to converse with them about her situation. She had explained much to them and even though they had visited her planet once before, they had not seen Tamaran as it truly was.

"Galfore has made all the preparations for when we arrive. I am no longer a princess but Galfore will see that I get treated like one nonetheless."

A small smile flickered on her face.

"All I need to do when I get there is to talk to the Gordanians," she quickly continued, cutting Robin off as he was about to speak, "Don't worry, with Galfore's presence they will cause me no harm."

Calming down, Robin continued to eat and listened to her once again.

"Once they and I settle on how we will figure this out, then we will have a minimum of two weeks before anything can begin."

"Um… Can you run that by me once more?" asked Beast Boy, perplexed.

"Yeah, girl, for once I agree with B.B." Cyborg chirped in, ignoring the nasty glance Beast Boy threw at him, "I don't get what you're saying."

"Basically, the Gordanians have certain rules. I have not been a 'slave' for some time now and I am under the care of Galfore which means they will have to get through his verdicts first. Even so, the outcome will most likely be what I have been telling you. I will have to fight someone, be it a slave or a Gordanian itself, but if Galfore fight for me, I will most probably get a slave to fight against."

"And that's good, I take it?" asked Raven from Beast Boy's right, trying to wave away his offer of the half eaten crust he did not want anymore.

"Yes, most of the slaves by then are---" she paused, staring down at the palm of her hand, searching for something there. She finished quietly, "---hopeless. They wish for nothing more than death."

Robin was the first one to be by her side. He rubbed her arm gently with his left hand, not wanting to leave her smelling like pizza.

"Starfire," he started, very seriously, "not one of us thinks anything bad of you because of what you have to do. And you _have to._ Believe me if we find some other way, we will do it but--- if the worse happens and this is the only chance you have, then you know we will be standing by your side after. Right?"

She smiled at him then directed her smile at the rest of the titans.

"Of course."

"Star?" piqued in Beast Boy, his hand raised as if they were in a classroom, "can we bring food on the trip? That stuff they served---" he looked around toward the rest of the Titans, wanting a little back-up over the taste of food Tamaranians had. When no help came, he quickly added,

"Not that it was bad," he laughed, his eyes widening and shifting to and fro, "---but man, I can't handle it."

"I'm sure it will be ok, Beast Boy," Starfire smiled softly, "Bring as much tofu as you want."

"Ok, so when will we be leaving?" asked Cyborg, clapping his hands together and sending pizza crumbs all over Beast Boy, "I need to tell Titans East so they can over and watch the city for us. _And_ I have to go work on the T-ship. Maybe I can install some new equipment to make the trip more comfortable, you know, like cup holders that warm or cool the drinks or a small weapon in case we need to fire at some uglies from outer space who want to harm my baby or---"

"Cy!" came Robin's sharp yell, snapping Cyborg out of his day dream. His eyes had already turned into two huge throbbing hearts as he thought about the T-ships and the possibilities he had with it.

Laughing softly, Starfire made a quick calculation in her head and answered, "In three days."

Cyborg nodded and went to the computer, quickly dialing the number for the Titans East Tower.

"Well, Raven, I guess we need to go pack." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, scooting closer to her.

"She said three days," Raven said unaffectedly, her hands itching for her book, "So unless you have millions of useless trinkets to pack----oh." She finished, realizing that her joke was probably a fact for Beast Boy. He didn't seem to notice (or if he did, he let it go) and instead, he grabbed another slice and bit into it.

Meanwhile, realizing that Starfire had that sad glint in her eyes again, Robin drew close against her ear and whispered something. He knew she was dreading all of what was to come and he'd do anything to have her smiling again. Instantaneously, her face lit up and warmth spilled back into her eyes as she looked at him happily.

"I would love to, Robin."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starfire had never been on a 'date', as Raven had informed her it was called. It never occurred to her that she would attend one with Robin, out of all people. She had hoped for it, of course, but a mere hope was all that she had. Now, to her great surprise and pleasure, it had become a reality. Still, she was still a bit apprehensive about it. She had seen people going on dates when she saw movies but she could never understand how those kinds of dates were different from the outings she and Robin usually had. Maybe the difference was the name of their relationship at the time. They had gone on outings as friends but when they became something more than friends, 'it' had also changed.

She tried not to think about it, though. Most of the time, it gave her a headache trying to figure out human's thoughts. Why did they have to make everything so complicated?

Nonetheless, Starfire had happily accepted his invitation to go on a date and retired to her room to change, a suggestion given by Robin himself. The night was cool enough to wear a light jacket but since the cold rarely affected Starfire, she opted to wear a nice skirt. She felt free in them; she was able to move around without the restraint of tight jeans which she found most confining. When she liked the reflection in the mirror, she smiled and left her room, giving Silkie a warm pat as she exited her bedroom.

She smiled affectionately when she spotted Robin who also looked very handsome in his civilian clothing. Her smile widened when she realized that no matter what, even if he took the mask off, there was no way that he could hide his heroic spirit. It was as if a light radiated from him, screaming out his gallant side for everyone to see. Starfire guessed that even if he tried to pose as a regular human being, he would fail miserably . His very presence demanded attention, by the way his posture gave a sense of authority, his words indicated high intelligence, and his charms (though he may not realize it) melted the hearts of girls around him.

Including Starfire.

"You ready?"

She nodded, turning to her friends in the living room and bidding them a good night. Cyborg and Beast Boy smiled and shouted a couple of innuendos, some of them highly inappropriate if it wasn't for the fact that they were all such good friends and could easily wave them away. Raven gave her own patented nod at them, obviously saying good night as well and wishing them a good time.

With that, the two teenagers traveled down the elevator to the basement, chatting nonchalantly about any topic that came across their mind until they reached the garage. There, Robin unveiled his motorcycle and helped Starfire on before mounting it himself. He turned the motorcycle on, admiring the roar it gave as it came to life and the low purrs it maintained as they settled. Robin pressed a couple of buttons and the R's that adorned the motorcycle quickly rotated to hide their emblem. Once the Rcycle looked like any other motorcycle, Robin grabbed Starfire's hands and brought them around his waist. With a smile, he opened the doors that connected the Tower with the mainland and sped into the night.

* * *

The night had a slight chill to it but Robin didn't mind. His jacket kept him warm enough and besides, the gorgeous girl beside him was keeping him warm as well. The fair was in town once again, marking the beginning of a week and a half of festivities in Jump City. They had attended this fair before but that had been with the entire team in tow and when they had just started fighting as the Teen Titans. Now, things were different. It was just the two of them, happily looking around at all the things the fair had to offer. They had visited the House of Mirrors already and Starfire had found it quite amusing. Though she had gotten lost along the way, Robin had eventually found her and to his surprise, she had not been frightened but fascinated by the way her head looked so out of proportion with the rest of her body. He had a hard time dragging her away from that attraction.

Though they were having a good time, the night soured a little when Starfire insisted on going to the small circus the fair had brought along with them. This was nothing compared to the larger circuses that came through the city but nevertheless, Robin wanted no business with it. It featured small animals and one large elephant performing tricks and a pair of acrobats showing their most daring feats. Starfire had wanted to go see it very badly and Robin felt a pang of guilt at snapping his response at her. He did not want to go into all of that at the moment, not when they had been having so much fun. Her eyes had widened a little and he could tell she was a bit hurt by his harsh words but to his surprise, she had merely stared at him for some time before a smile returned to her face. She shook her head at him, telling him lightly, "I want to see _that, _then," and leading him to a booth on the farther side of the fair, away from the circus.

The day brightened again as they went into a fake tattoo parlor where Starfire had insisted on acquiring a 'bottle of mustard' tattoo. The lady had looked at her with a weird expression on her face but shrugged and went to work nonetheless. Though Robin had refused to get a tattoo himself, he had offered to win her a teddy bear on their next activity. Starfire had joyfully accepted this and forgot about forcing Robin to get a tattoo.

Starfire chose a simple game of 'striking the mobile yellow fowls with the hard balls' game, as she so eloquently put it. Robin effortlessly won her a large purple teddy bear, fully equipped with a red bow, a goofy smile on its face, and holding a pink heart near its chest. Starfire beamed at him as he handed it to her, giving him a soft peck on his cheek. Before Robin could fathom what had happened, he felt his arm being pulled by a very strong, over-excited Starfire.

"Where do you want to go next?" he asked her with a smile evident on his lips. His eyes were awarded with the image of a huge smile radiating from Starfire's face as she tugged and pulled on his arm and pointed toward the direction she wanted to go. His own smile became wider still and his eyes glazed over a little as he found what she was pointing at.

Laughing and smiling, they made their way to the main attraction of the fair.

The large Ferris wheel.


	8. Chapter 8

Hi!

* * *

The Ferris Wheel was a big attraction that year at the fair and it was all because of its height. A little over two hundred and ninety feet tall, people flocked from all over the city to wait in line for hours to get the chance to ride it. Knowing this well, Starfire and Robin brought candy and other goodies along the way to keep themselves occupied while they endured the wait. The line was very long but this did not deter the couple and instead, they stood patiently with the rest of the citizens of Jump City.

Like the other couples in line, they stood around talking about nonsense: the nice weather, how big the wheel was, what their friends were doing at the moment, and intimate jokes that only they understood. Waiting didn't seem to be so bad when you had someone to joke with and play around to pass the time. They were eager to get on the ride, perhaps more than all the other couples for the ride held sentimental values. This was not the same Ferris Wheel they had ridden once upon a time. This was a different one, a new and improved ride that offered more of a thrill than the old one. Nonetheless, every time Starfire saw one on television or even looked back to remember, she always recalled that particular moment when she and the team were on their outing, enjoying their new found friendship but most specifically, she recalled the moment when she had looked at Robin for a mere second and it had dawned on her. She held feelings that were more than friendship or even admiration for the young boy of wonder.

It felt like an eternity ago and yet, she remembered it vividly, as if it was just yesterday.

Before she realized it, the man who controlled the machine was telling them it was their turn. Excitedly, Starfire climbed on, her face full of excitement and pure thrill. All Robin could do was smile for her own exhilaration had infected him and he felt the anticipation tingle all over his body. Once they were securely strapped in and the man had told them how much he admired them and that his twins were _huge_ fans of the Teen Titans, he started the ride with the promise that they would give his daughters a pair of autographs. The wheel started moving, swinging the small cars gently into the night. The moved a small distance before they stopped to let the last passengers in the last car. Once that was done, the Ferris Wheel started its cycle, moving slowly at first and letting the wind carry them around. Starfire smiled softly as Robin's hand enclosed her own and squeezed it softly, comfortably, as if to remind her that he was there to protect her.

The first two revolutions passed slowly, letting the people in the cars enjoy the sights that was their city. The fair always located themselves by the pier and one could see the entire city as well as the river which contained the island and of course, Titans' Tower. Most people were more interested in the Tower than the city itself but Starfire could not keep her eyes away from the tall buildings that towered over the small natives of Jump City. Humans were truly magnificent creatures, she often thought to herself. They able to build so many beautiful things; towers, buildings, monuments, bridges, and other structures that were marvelous in structure and she often asked herself how such delicate creatures such as humans could build such vast monuments in a matter of months. They held so much power and were able to make difficult decisions for the good of their loved one and yet they could also bring such excruciating pain to themselves and those around them. Humans wrote beautiful poetry and songs, so incredible were the powers of their words to be able to express such complicated emotions ranging from love to hatred, jealously to respect, and all the emotions in between. Yet, they were so fickle at the same time. Their life span was long enough but there were so many everyday things that could end their time on Earth. She never ceased to wonder how they made it through the day when they were so vulnerable to everything around them. They could wake up one morning and think they are coming home that very night but in reality, this was a mere chance; a draw of the luck.

She looked at the boy next to her, a couple of months younger in age but she recognized that he was more mature in some ways. He had seen things in his life and experienced events that shaped him into who he was. Though it had been the same with her, for some reason, he was very private in that matter. Maybe that undisclosed part of him was the reason he acted strange sometimes. When he did not wish to be with her as more than friends, he had made it seem as if this way of thinking had been bore into his head to not attach himself to a teammate. Still, he had managed to overcome this fear and for the time they had together, she wished to make the best of it and decided to continue enjoying their date.

Stopping at the very top, Starfire looked at Robin with intimate eyes, the warmth coming from her jades smoldered through his mask and into his own pair of eyes. He offered her some sour skittles for they had eaten their cotton candy a long time ago. She accepted gratefully, the smile never leaving their faces as they relived a moment that had happened long ago.

"This feels nice," she said quietly, facing him with a sincere aura around her. He nodded, admiring her face. She let her eyes linger on him for a while. The boy in front of her was on his way to becoming more than a boy. His face held the beginnings of manhood. Though she knew he would never have a full grown beard in his future, she did notice he had started shaving. Last time she had touched his face, she had felt stubble on the side of his jaw and for some reason, she found this rather….pleasing. She had made it a habit to caress his face just to feel the prickles against her hand. His voice had deepened as well though it had taken a while for Starfire to realize it. Suddenly, his voice seemed to come from somewhere in his chest instead of his throat. It rumbled through his chest and made its way out, making his voice sound rich and full. As much as he had grown, Starfire could guess she would overcome his height in a matter of months. Not that Robin minded; he often expressed this fact with humor.

_He smells good_, she thought hazily. He made her weak easily but Starfire cherished this feeling. This is what she had wanted for so long and now that it was here, she was going to treasure it as much as she could.

_He is truly handsome, _her mind murmured. She closed her eyes as she noticed Robin coming closer.

As for Robin, he felt as if he was having an out of body experience as he closed in, tasting the sweet candy on her lips as his mouth connected with hers. She moved slowly against him, torturing him in the sweetest way. This was _definitely_ not how he remembered the last time they had ridden the Ferris Wheel but he had no doubt in his mind that they would ride it once again…and again…and again.

His mind became a foggy mess, registering one thing and one thing only. While he was busy with a certain beauty, he did not realize that the Ferris Wheel had made one more round and had stopped near the top. He slowly pulled back, letting his lips linger on hers for a few seconds. He smiled for what seemed to be the millionth time that night as he looked down on her, closed eyes, rosy cheeks, and swollen lips. Her beauty could stun him at times and it only made him want to kiss her again. Judging by the way she had not opened her eyes or moved away, she was expecting him to do so. Eager to please her, he moved in closer to her but with a jerk, the car they were in jolted violently. Starfire gasped, her eyes opening quickly to look around as did Robin as well.

Half of his mind was still on Starfire while the other sluggishly awoke, sending warning signs all over his body. The car shuddered again and without warning, a loud creaking sound indicated one thing.

The car they were currently in was about to fall.

The side Starfire sat on began to sink and Robin quickly looked around for the offending error that was causing this. He found the cause. A weapon that looked strangely familiar. It had a black symbol on top of a golden background. The light coming from the fair illuminated the large S that decorated the weapon.

Robin growled and looked around, his eyes tirelessly searching for him. But he gave up on that thought for the moment as he heard the people below him scream.

"Robin!" cried out Starfire, her eyes wide with fear. But why? She could fly so she had nothing to worry about.

"They'll get crushed," she told him, "Get down from here."

Getting what she was saying, he nodded. She nodded and jumped from the car, flying below it and keeping it up. As Robin was about to jump, the wheel jerked once more. The people below Starfire yelled in panic. Their car had also been hit. Another jerk and more screaming. The entire structure was under attack and Starfire and Robin could do very little to help them all. Quickly, Robin called the Titans for backup, telling them to get there as soon as humanly possible. He called out to Starfire and instructed her to rip the car from its holdings. Without questions, she did so, telling him to hold on. He did the best he could but the yank was so great that Robin almost tumbled out. He yelled for her to lower him to the next car and she complied. The couple slowly got in with Robin, trembling in fear and panic. They continued to move down, knowing very well that at the rate they were going, the rest of the people waiting in the damaged cars were doomed. Most cars were hanging on by a bolt or two, precariously swinging with the wind. By now, most people had half of their bodies hanging off the cars, screaming for help.

"Help as many as you can," he told Starfire as he got out his utility belt and put it on. With lighting speed, he took out his grappling hook and shot it off, swinging around the Ferris Wheel to get the people who were in the most danger. He grabbed a teenage girl who was on the verge of falling and swung her to safety before shooting another grappling hook into the Ferris Wheel. He heard the screams of a man to his left and swung around expertly and took him by the waist. Robin put him down by the shivering girl who was now surrounded by police. He gave a quick glance to Starfire who seemed to have acquired as many people as the car could hold. She led them down to the ground, unable to put the car on the floor without causing damage to herself. The people jumped down from the car and when it was empty, she put the car to the side and rose again, trying to get the rest.

The rest of the Titans had arrived by then and they did not need to be filled in on what was happening. They quickly went into action with Robin in their wake. As he was rescuing two small children, he heard a loud rumble from above him. Mid swing, he looked up to see the underside of the Ferris' car heading straight toward him. Cursing, he leaned forward, trying to get leverage to go faster. Unfortunately, he could feel it speeding toward him. Grabbing the two children, he tried to put them under his body as much as possible so the impact would hit him instead of the children though he knew it would matter little if they were going to be flattened by the heaviness of the car. Suddenly, he felt a familiar dark energy sweep around him and heard a low moan from his side. Continuing to swing through, his feet slowly stepped on solid ground and he deposited the children safely on the ground. He turned to see Raven holding up the heavy car and settling it down with great difficulty.

He shouted his thanks to her. She nodded back, her eyes looking tired from the exertion. With the entire team there, the tension had released its hold on Robin. The rest of the people had been lowered safely to the ground and the cars from the Ferris Wheel had been dismantled and also been settled on the ground. The police were soon in the scene and the ambulance noise surrounded them.

"So," said Cyborg cheerfully, as he walked toward Robin, "Had a good time?"

"Go oil yourself," said Robin good-naturedly, punching him in the arm. Cyborg laughed, his chuckle deep and low.

Still, as their date came to an end, Robin began to get back to his Robin state. He kept to himself on the ride back to the Tower while Starfire opted to fly instead of riding the motorcycle or the car back home.

She felt cheated.

They had been having such a good time and now, Robin was back into _that_ mode. Sighing, she gave in to it. For tonight, the good times had ended and Robin would once again obsess over his work.

Once back home, Robin went directly to his room. Starfire looked down at the pages of paperwork and signed wearily.

"You need help with that?" Cyborg asked, smiling down at her, "I just installed a faster mathematical program into the computer. You'll have all those finances done in no time."

"Thank you, Cyborg," answered Starfire, patting his arm warmly, "but I believe I shall retire into the night."

Nodding, Cyborg looked at her as she turned to go. Suddenly, Starfire felt his cold metallic fingers close around her arm. She turned to look back at him, surprised.

He looked at her gently, the way an overprotective brother looked at his younger sister.

"Don't let this get you down, Star," he said softly, "Robin will snap out of it as soon as he realizes that being consumed by villains isn't as nice as being preoccupied with a beautiful girl."

Starfire felt a real smile grow from her lips and thanked Cyborg. He nodded at her and turned to continue to play with Beast Boy.

"D6," said Beast Boy excitedly, continuing the game they had left behind.

"Yo, man, you _must _be cheating! How'd you know again?!"

"We sexy people know these things," laughed Beast Boy, punching the air triumphantly as he won yet another round.

She left the room with higher spirits, the packets of paper pressed against her chest.

* * *

If it had been any other villain, Robin might have left work behind for the night and sought out sleep or even better, he would have gone to look for Star. But this was not any other villain. Slade haunted his dreams, quite literally. He had reached the point of insanity because of this madman. Beast Boy had warned Robin about Slade when he had gone back to the haunt he and Terra had fallen apart in but Beast Boy could easily hide his distress over it. Robin could not. Granted that the last couple of days he had been preoccupied with other things but now that Slade had made a direct move, he was back in Robin mode. Slade had attacked the Ferris Wheel where he and Starfire had been riding. Robin guessed he must have seen them together when the wheel had made a full revolution. He wanted to slap himself for being so stupid. Didn't he say he was going to be careful and not be all 'lovey-dovey' with her in public?

Then again, who could deny such an experience when the night was perfect and a perfect girl was in front of him?

_Damn the hormones_, he thought bitterly.

What could he be planning next? Robin did not want to think about the fact that Slade knew he and Star were together now. That was like waving candy in front of a baby. A perfect opportunity for Slade to get revenge had just been presented to him.

Robin groaned tiredly, rubbing his face vigorously as millions of thought ran around his head. Then a certain thought presented to him in the midst of the myriad of other thoughts.

They were leaving in three days. If the Teen Titans could barely handle Slade most of the time, how could Titans East possibly handle him?

He cursed under his breath. He needed to call a meeting. Now.

He pressed the button on his communicator and informed them of the meeting. By then, most of the Titans were asleep and as Beast Boy grumpily put it,

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be there," he whispered to his side, "crazy, sleep deprived insomniac----"

* * *

They met in the Common Room and sat lazily around the sofa, trying not to fall asleep next to their fellow teammate as Robin paced around the room. In fact, Beast Boy had fallen on Raven's lap when he fell asleep and though the thought of pushing him off of her crossed her mind, for some reason or other (she was too tired, she told herself) she did not. Robin did not speak for a while but decided to walk around worriedly. While the rest of the team tried to catch some sleep, Starfire looked at him worriedly. Just when she was about to speak, Robin started to talk.

"We need to think about the danger that Slade is imposing at the moment," stated Robin, finally stopping to look at his team. He eyed Cyborg who wearily looked at him back .

"If you're talking about Titan's East—" Robin nodded and so did Cyborg.

"I've been thinking about that too, man, and I'll tell you the truth. I ain't so sure about leaving them with Slade running all over the city," he looked around the team, saying sincerely. "_We_ can barely handle him sometimes."

"So what do you suggest we do?" asked Raven, getting to the point. The team felt silent for a moment and just when Starfire was about to speak, Robin cut her off.

"We are not staying here," he told her harshly, "We'll figure something out."

Starfire frowned at him, feeling crossed at his snapping.

"Well, then what's the----big plan?" asked Beast Boy, mid-yawn and looking up from Raven's lap.

"Some of us could stay behind," chipped in Cyborg, looking at the sight ot Raven and Beast Boy with confused eyes.

"We can't defeat Slade as a team so what makes you think we can so it separately?," reasoned Raven, glaring back at Cyborg for even considering anything that had to do with her and Beast Boy.

"Do you know what his intentions are yet?" Starfire asked Robin who turned to look at her.

"I'm not sure," he started but added quietly afterwards, "What I do know is that he saw us together on the Ferris Wheel."

"You are sure?" asked Starfire worriedly.

He nodded, adding,

"That's why we were attacked first."

"Well, if we're leaving in a couple of day, doesn't that put a damper on his plans?" chirped Beast Boy, wearily looking around.

Robin shrugged, utterly lost at the moment.

"Perhaps we should wait and see what he tries next," said Starfire, hopeful that Robin would try to calm down a bit.

He nodded and after a while of quietly thinking, he dismissed them, telling them they should catch as much sleep as possible. They nodded tiredly and retired to their perspective bedrooms but Starfire and Raven remained behind.

"You should follow your own advice," drawled Raven, her voice heavy with sleep. She turned and walked out of the room but not before giving Robin a pointed look, the kind a mother gave to her worried child.

Starfire walked to Robin, her eyes just as worried as Raven for their leader.

"Perhaps everything will be easier to think about in the morning, yes?"

"Maybe," he murmured off handedly. It took a while for Robin to notice her tired, worried eyes but once he did, he tugged on her hair softly, surprising Starfire thoroughly.

"I'm ok," he assured her, "But you can't blame me for worrying, right?"

"Of course not," she told him, "But that doesn't mean that I do not worry for you."

He gave her a ghost of the smile he had given her earlier that night. Leading them toward their rooms, he said very little and only spoke to say good night.

Starfire hadn't been expecting a kiss but she was highly disappointed when, in fact, none came. Sighing, she retired to her room to await the start of yet another day.

* * *

When the next day arrived, it felt odd to be in such a tense mood. So far, their days had been pretty much carefree. They had nothing to fear and the few villains that decided to wreak havoc in the city were easily apprehended and contained. So now that they had a mega villain on their hands and the prospect of yet another emotional ride with one of their own was not what you call a nice start to the day. While Cyborg had taken it into his own hands to inform Titans East about the potential threat and what they should do if something happens, Beast Boy had taken it to warn Terra or, as she now called herself, Tara, about the possible danger. Though he usually hid his fears, worries, or any unpleasant emotions behind a smile or a joke, he took this threat very seriously when it came to Tara. Raven also dealt with things her own way. She began the day by meditating and for the first time in the history of their friendship, she dragged Starfire into it as well. Though Raven gave no indication on why she had done this, Starfire could feel it around their aura a sense of foreboding. Maybe Raven had gotten a vision and a bad one at that. Nevertheless, Starfire had meditated with her for a while until she couldn't take the emotions any more. As she began to slowly leave the plane, Raven quietly exerted a warning. But against what?

Starfire doubted that even Raven knew at the moment.

Over the next couple of days, they lived in a bubble of pure anxiousness. Still, they heard nothing unusual except for a couple of missing equipment that came from several important factories. As Robin investigated this, he found that it could have been an employee that was doing this. He tried to do as much work as he could before the three days were up but the rest of the team had gone out of their way to show Starfire a good time before they left. On their second day, they had taken her to see the circus at the fair. While Robin had declined the invitation, they had all been quite excited to go see it. Starfire asked her friends not to force anything on him, especially this circus thing. She had a strong feeling he had something against them or even worse, a familiarity toward them. His eyes had glazed over when they had mentioned it to him and his face had instantly become somber. He declined the invitation with a low voice, as if this was the last place on Earth he wanted to go. Unsure of what to make of it, they had let it go. The team had learned by now that some things are best left alone.

The team had a blast that day. She marveled at the fire eaters, ooh'ing and ahh'ing at the funny clowns with their mischief and magical flowers of squirting water. Though Beast Boy had mumbled something about animal abuse as they saw the elephants perform tricks and the monkeys run around 'attacking' the clown, the day had turned out to be better than expected. Starfire's favorite part had been watching the acrobats perform their stunts but only because they reminded her of Robin. He shared their style of daring maneuvers and stunning performances. They breezed around the air without fear or concern of falling. They connected with the air around them and became one with it so they had nothing to be worried about. She longed to tell Robin all about it but constricted herself.

Still, when they returned from the circus, Robin was no where to be found. He was not in the Tower and though Starfire longed to go in search for him, she could feel that he needed to be alone for a while. She felt confused as to why but she knew him well enough to understand that there was a connection to all that had been happening and his desertion.

Over the three days that passed, Starfire spend most of the time outside, hanging out with the team. Robin joined them for the rest of the activities quite gladly and they enjoyed themselves thoroughly as they went to the movies, or went to the mall of shopping, or even just had a simple picnic in the park. The few villains that decided to crawl out of their hole were quickly detained and their days resumed as normal as possible. Slade made no more moves (that they could tell anyhow) and so, the three days passed uneventfully.

Starfire had her bags packed and ready by the end of the third day. They would be leaving early the next day but she couldn't sleep. Her eyes kept looking around the empty room and she felt as if the very room was anticipating her leaving. It held no more sign of life or happiness. It retained the form of a bedroom but what had made it Starfire's bedroom was no longer there. Not being able to stand it, she left her room and started walking around the tower. Soft memories of what she had seen in her future flashed back in her mind but she tried to push them away. Those were memories she did not want at the moment. The hallways were utterly empty and lonely. She passed the training room and images of training activities flashed through her mind. She almost always paired herself with Cyborg because he was the only one strong enough to withstand her powerful kicks and hits without too much damage. He also did not hold back when they sparred and gave her the best she got. When it came to agility, Robin was the best choice. He taught her how to use her flight abilities to aid her when he villains threw quick attacks. He also taught her how to spar without powers, in case for some reason her powers failed she had another form of defending herself.

She made her way through the hallway, passing by Beast Boy's room. She and Beast Boy got along well though most of the time she could not understand the jokes he made but the again, neither did most of her teammates. His antics always amused her like the time he had showed her his latest invention, the tuborkel. She had been most intrigued by his creation, eager to be able to try it out herself. She also found out that she and Beast Boy had a few things in common. They were both scared to let their true emotions escape too often. While she hid behind her smile (though most of the time, her smiles were sincere) he hid behind his jokes. But when Tara had shown herself, she had seen how hurt he truly was. Wanting to help him, she had gone to him for a talk and found out that they shared a lot of feelings. Betrayal had been one of them. She felt betrayed by her sister while he had felt betrayed by Terra.

"It dims after a while," he had told her, scratching the back of his head when she asked him how he felt now, "but the pain itself always pokes around when I notice similarities."

Still, they both tried their best to not be consumed by the treachery they had felt for so long.

She reached the Common Room, the place where they got all their mission assignments and where they played games and had endless fights over the remote or the controllers or the last piece of waffles. The Titans' spend most of their time here. Soon, it would be inhabited by other Titans but it would never be the same for Titans East as it was for them. To her surprise, she found Cyborg as she came into the room.

"Greetings," she told him, surprised.

"Hey, Star, whatcha doing up so late?"

"I could not sleep," she said truthfully, "and you?"

He pointed at the computer screen which contained security codes and the layout of Titans' Tower.

"Just doing a couple of last minute adjustments," he patted the seat next to him and Starfire sat down.

"You nervous?"

She smiled at him, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"A little," she said softly, "Are you?"

Smiling at her, he shook his head, the movement making a quiet creaking sound.

"Nah, you'll be just fine."

She sighed, wishing she could feel as confident as he felt.

They kept quiet as he continued typing at lighting speed. Starfire could understand a little of what he was doing. She had taken training in technology equipment back when she went through Okkara but their technology was more advanced than here on Earth. Some things were a little dated so she couldn't comprehend exactly what he was doing.

"There," he said happily, clapping his hands together. The printer started working, printing out a couple of pages every few minutes.

"It's all done," she turned to look at her, patting her shoulder as he got up, "The Tower is shutting down, all right?" His eyes turned worried, "Try to get some sleep. The only one allowed to be an insomniac here is Robin and that's only because he's so damn stubborn."

She nodded at him and he left, leaving her in the dark, illuminated by the water outside the Tower and the lights from the city.

She spend a little time looking at the city she and her teammates worked _so_ hard in protecting. She hoped this would not be the last time she laid her eyes on it. She slipped sideways in the couch, her eyes closing slowly and her mind becoming foggy.

She did not want to go back; her home was no longer Tamaran, it was Earth. Her people had ceased to be the Tamaranians who had so willingly sold her to the Gordanians; her people were now the vulnerable Terrans who fought so hard to survive for decades against all the hardships and adversities and yet, they did not seem to regret living one bit. Her heart did not belong to her future husband whom her parents had been planning to marry her to since her day of birth; it now belonged to a certain boy with a kind, gentle heart and marred past that had captivated her for so long and was currently pulling a strand of fiery red hair out of her face…..

* * *

Bye!


	9. Chapter 9

I know that Raven's real name is Rachel Roth but for my sake, please let it drop.

I also know that Tamaran is light-years away from earth so also, please let it go for the purpose of the story.

* * *

Starfire had awoken to the soft caresses of a young, masked man and to his soft voice, her ears instantly perked up to catch the gentle timbre of his words. Her eyes opened slowly, smiling drowsily for no particular reason but the feeling of the smile felt good on her lips. She mumbled his name or, to be clearer, what she had come to know him as. He had never told her his real name nor did she think he would do it any time soon. The rest of the team had grown close enough to share such information and Raven hadn't even bothered in hiding her real name. While Raven and Victor made fun of Garfield's name, no such thing had ever fallen on Robin who would forever remain to be Robin to them. Starfire was another matter. She did not _need_ to know his name but it would be nice to whisper it to him as they lay intimately together, on occasions such as this one.

She pulled him down gently, mumbling his name once more and Robin had to admit he rather liked the way his name rolled out of her lips so musically, almost harmoniously. It aroused feelings so deep that he could not tell you what they were.

"Is it time to leave?" she asked huskily, her voice getting used to talking once again. He answered her negatively and brushed a strand out of her hair, watching her with hooded eyes.

"I'll take you back to your room," he told her and helped her up. She held on to his hand though she was conscious enough to walk without guidance. That was not the point, though. Her hand was safely closed in his and that was all she wanted.

"You are not tired?" she asked him as they walked down the stairs of Titans' Tower.

"I was about to go to sleep but I felt the need to check the Tower once more," he scratched his chin nonchalantly, giving her a lopsided grin, "Good thing I did too. I thought you didn't like sleeping like humans do."

She scowled softly, shaking her head.

"No, for me, pillows are meant for feet, not the head. But still, it is not _that_ uncomfortable to sleep with your head supported."

He chuckled amusedly, kissing her knuckles tenderly.

"You're so strange, Star."

Somehow, she found herself feeling strangely warm. Maybe it was the way he said it or perhaps it was because _he_ said it but nonetheless, she suddenly liked the fact that he saw her as strange. In his world, she was, in fact, very odd but he did not overlook this fact nor did he try to suppress it. He let her be her peculiar self and contented himself with being amused by her antics.

At the foot of her door, she thanked him for walking her back to her room and he welcomed her, endeared by the way she looked. Her eyes were heavy with sleep and her hair was a mess. Locks of red were tangled with each other and the soft makeup she was so fond of had rubbed off. He liked her without makeup better but he supposed that it was a phase girls go through. Once she realized she was gorgeous without the extra gunk she put on her face, he hoped she would stop.

"Good night, Robin," she whispered, the sound barely reaching his ears. He was too busy looking at her lips to listen anyway so the message was not caught. He captured her lips with his and gently kissed her, slipping his arms around her waist and holding her close. A moan escaped from her lips but it only fueled their passion. The nervous state they had been in was forgotten for the moment and instead, a kinder intensity overtook them and would carry them to a blissful sleep.

Early the next morning, Titans East arrived, loaded with bags and suitcases. While Cyborg went ahead and took the leader role and began filling them in with anything important, Starfire remained in her room. Everything was packed; her room empty and the only thing that remained were her purple curtains she had brought a couple of weeks ago. After Silkie had eaten her last ones, she had been very bothered by the early morning sun and had elected to buy the new curtains. Their color was a very dark purple but it matched Starfire's room perfectly. The curtains remained close only during the night and the beginning of the day but other than on those two occasions, her curtains were opened wide to let the sunlight fill her small bedroom. Fingering the soft material, she hoped she would return home to see them once more. She closed the curtains for the last time and walked out, bags ready in hands.

Though she had already told Galfore she was arriving on Tamaran in a day or so, she called in again remind him. Instead of finding Galfore, however, she found another Tamaranian. She had been told Galfore was busy at the moment and could not be bothered. Starfire wasn't overly worried since Royal duty came before anything else; something she had been taught at a very early age. So she had informed the Tamaranian of her arrival to which he nodded and confirmed it. She ended the transition and walked back to the hall, feeling nervous to say the least.

"Don't worry Sparky," filtered Bumblebee's voice through the hall, "We have everything covered. We'll call for backup from the other Titans if we need help," she said quickly, cutting Cyborg off as he opened his mouth, "and if we see that none of us can handle it, we'll call you."

Nodding reluctantly, he agreed and continued to give them a few last minute commands. Once everyone was settled and Robin had noticed that Speedy was flirting with Starfire ( if anyone who did not know her had seen her they could have sworn she was flirting back) and had efficiently told him to back off, the Titans soon found themselves ready to leave. They settled in their seat, checking gauges and screens to see that everything was working properly, and once they made sure they were prepared, they counted down their takeoff.

With a deafening boom, the rocket started lifting from the ground, leaving in its wake a huge white cloud that inundated the Tower. Starfire watched with wide eyes as their city, the one they had worked so hard to protect, was left behind, getting smaller and smaller until it became a mere dot surrounded by mountains. The mountains soon became contours expanding to the four corners of the world. She tore her eyes from the magnificent sight to check the oxygen fuels and heard Cyborg's voice come through her headphone.

"Grab tight, y'all."

The rockets on their sides dislocated themselves from their ship and fell back to Earth, leaving the T-ship to fend for itself. The loud hum of the working machinery made Starfire nervous as she looked around space. It was dark color but at the same time, it was strangely illuminating. She knew the surroundings of Earth for she had traveled around when she had experienced transformation. But this situation was different. This time, it was more than looking ugly and feeling ashamed. This could be life or death matters she was about to undertake.

They passed by Mars, Earth's closest planet at the moment and made a right turn, working their way through the vast depths as if they traveled to other planets often. The trip was without a hitch and most of the Titans found themselves being lulled to sleep by the mechanical hum of their ship. Beast Boy had insisted upon singing travel songs such as,

"Oh the fuel in the T-ship goes round and round, round and round, round and round. The fuel in the T-ship goes round and round all through space!"

Then he decided to play the 'Spot it!" game.

"I spot a small, shiny, dot on our left that's shiny and----small---"

"Could it possibly be the hundreds of stars that surround us!" nearly yelled Raven through gritted teeth. Beast Boy had just laughed and congratulated her.

"You win a cookie!"

Cyborg chuckled at Beast Boy's obvious death wish but was glad for it. They still had three more hours to go and they had already been sitting in the ship for three hours and a half. Even though his butt was metallic, it hurt… a lot.

Robin had his own way of keeping busy.

He had brought his work with him.

Silently, he sat in his own part of the ship and had been quiet this whole time though they could hear him mumble a couple of times about 'damages' or 'three to the fifth.'

"Raven," came Starfire's excited voice, "there's Sirius!"

Raven looked to where Starfire pointed and frowned.

"How do you know?" she questioned her, trying to see the constellation.

"Well, based on where we are in the sky and the location of the three main stars I can recognize the shape."

Eyeing her strangely, Raven continued to search for Sirius.

"Star spends too much time on the roof," said Robin suddenly, "She probably knows every constellation in the sky."

Blushing lightly, Starfire nodded in agreement and continued to look outside, laughing as Beast Boy and Cyborg got heir chance to tease Robin.

"What have _you_ been doing on the roof, Robin-poo?" said Cyborg mischievously, the insinuations evident in his voice.

"I think a little bird has been teaching a certain bee about---"

"Knock it off," came Robin's annoyed voice through the headphones, ignoring the childish giggling that escaped the two teenagers.

Through picture taking and more 'I spot!' games, Robin finally spotted the Vegan system which meant that they were already within the Lyra constellation and nearing Tamaran. In fact, Starfire had begun telling them the names of the planets around them and adding a little history behind it. Most contained vicious wars between the warlords of Okaara and the Psions, the rape of their goddess X'hal and her accession to Goddess, and to her own people's ancestry of felines.

Finally, light purple planet that was Tamaran came into view. But before Starfire could comment (or squeal) on the beauty that was her former home, their view became obstructed by less than a dozen purple ships, forming a triangle in front of them. Their earphones rang loudly in their ears, making them cry out in pain. A low, rumbling voice filtered through, static filled and understandable.

Understandable to anyone but Starfire.

"It's the Gordanians," she stated to the team through their own connection, reserved for the Titans.

"What do they want?" asked Robin stiffly, looking at them suspiciously. Starfire stood quiet, listening to what they were saying.

"They want a confirmation of my status," she told them through their line.

"How do we do that?" asked Beast Boy, his voice fearful at the huge ships in front of them.

"I need to show myself," she said calmly, catching the fleeting look of concern that flashed through Robin's eyes.

"I'll be ok, do not worry."

Having no other choice, the team nodded and Starfire opened the flap window of her part of the ship. She flew out, the coldness of space hitting her forcefully.

The same voice boomed out something to which Starfire answered back, holding her fist out and slamming it back into her chest, perhaps a demonstration of her identity. The loud voice spoke again and Starfire flew back to her seat and lowered the lid, expectantly looking at the fleet of Gordanians. Slowly, the ships turned and flew back to Tamaran, obviously wanting the Titans to follow them.

With great apprehension, the Titans did.

The ships were huge and intimidating. Their shape was rough and sharp, built in such a way that they looked threatening and menacing to anyone who tried to approach them.

Once the Titans' ship had landed safely on the ground, Starfire spoke to them briefly, the laughter gone from her voice and face.

"You must not touch me," she said seriously, "You must be on the lookout for anything that looks suspicious and Robin," she looked at him directly, "I am sorry to say that we will be looked down upon by the Gordanians so _please_ do not act rashly."

A little offended by her comment (no matter how true it was) he nodded and let her take charge of the situation.

They got out of the ship, denying themselves the pleasure of stretching languorously and instead, following Starfire into the palace, the same place they had met Galfore not so long ago. As they walked by, the Gordanians sneered down upon them, massive in height and incredibly daunting. However, the Titans were not the type to be intimidated by mere height. They walked by with their eyes fixed straight ahead and chests out, as if they did this sort of thing every day. There, at the very door that led to the Grand Palace of Northern Tamaran, stood a giant of a Gordanian. He stood in armor, dressed for battle as if a war was about to explode any minute. Starfire looked up to him defiantly, her eyes showing no signs of fear.

The Gordanian spoke, a garble of noises that sounded as if it was coming from his throat and choking the words out. A crease formed on Starfire's brow as she tried to decipher what he was saying. Being in capture by the Gordanians for so long, she had picked up on their language. It wasn't the easiest language to understand but they had a small vocabulary and virtually no structure.

The creature stopped talking and paused to look at the teenage Tamaranian in front of him.

Starfire began to speak and the Titans recognized it as Tamaranian. It was the Gordanians turn to look concentrated as Starfire spoke but the Titans, who understood nothing so far, could easily see Starfire was offended. Listening intently, they watched the furious conversation pass through the Gordanian and Starfire. The Gordanian seemed to be getting worked up, using wild hand gestures to threaten Starfire but she stood her ground. Robin was getting worried by now. The huge creature did not seem like the type who was used to defiance and that was all Starfire was giving him. Finally, one word escaped her lips that the entire team knew: Galfore.

The Gordanian narrowed his already small eyes at her, his scaly body trembling with fury and gave a low growl. He slowly moved out of the doorway, saying something to Starfire as she moved ahead. Reluctantly, the team followed and tried to ignore the growls coming from the Gordanian. Once inside, the giant doors shut with a tremendous bang, rattling their very bones.

Starfire gave a huge sigh.

"What the hell was that?" asked Robin, the first to recover from the affair.

"Did you see how big they were?" squeaked Beast Boy, pointing his thumb back toward the door, "Watching Star Trek totally did not prepare me for that."

Raven hit the green shape shifter on his shoulder, telling him to be quiet. He mumbled softly under his breath but stopped to listen to Starfire.

"They were threatening me, that's all," she said in a matter of fact voice, walking once again though rather shakily.

"That's all?" yelled Cyborg, and then looked around and whispered to her, "Those things don't just _threaten_, Star!"

She chuckled humorlessly at his comment.

"I know."

The familiarity of the palace came back to them and they knew where they were headed. The Grand Room, where they would finally meet Galfore. The palace guards near the entrance bowed gently toward Starfire who smiled at them and presented herself to the main guard, in front of the door.

"G'eh me Koriand'er X'hal peheri," she signaled to the Titans behind her, "Jenti kukhla me."

The guard bowed to her and allowed them entrance to the room. There, on the opposite side of the doorway, past the tens on people who sat around him, sat Galfore, now the King of Tamaran, ruler of the planet, and commander of the Troops.

Starfire held back the urge to fly to him and tackle him to the ground with sentiments and instead, walked with pride to meet him. They both thumped their chest at the same time and one thought ran across the Titans' mind: Her chest must be beet red by now.

His gaze toward her could not be hidden. It held such love and devotion, sparkling at the very sight of Starfire. She spoke to him, once again in her language, coming softly from her mouth. The language seemed to be ruled by emotions as well; when angry, the words became rough and harsh, sounding as dangerous as the person wanted it to be. Yet, in such occasions such as this one, the words rolled out of her mouth pleasantly, holding a great deal of emotion.

Galfore tore his eyes from his princess and spoke to the court. At once, they bowed and filed out of the room. Once the door was shut, Galfore stood up just in time to catch Starfire as she threw herself at him, tackling him back down to his seat and hugging him fiercely.

"I have missed you, Galfore," she said softly in Tamaranian.

"I have as well," he responded into her ear, holding her back to look at her, "You have grown tremendously, my dear."

His eyes narrowed at her, inspecting her face.

"Something has changed in you as well."

"You will soon find out, my dear one, but first we have some business to talk about."

She walked back to her friends and bowed to him. He too bowed and led them to the huge table in the middle of the room. The Titans followed, their eyes wandering around the chamber. Beautiful colors radiated from the walls, soft shades of orange and melon and the furniture bore a dark purple. The colors were not complimentary at all but the room looked incredible in them. Elegant and a bit quirky, Robin nearly chuckled at the resemblance between the room and Starfire.

Galfore sat at the very head of the table, Starfire on his right and the Titans occupied the next seats near Galfore.

"I suppose I better dust off my Earth language, yes?"

With a smile, Starfire nodded. Clearing his throat, Galfore spoke attentively. He looked to his left toward Robin who also looked back at him.

"You are the leader of the group, am I correct?"

Robin agreed and was mildly surprised by the loud thump that resonated around the room. Once again, Galfore had beaten his chest.

Glancing briefly at Starfire, he thumped his own chest, not nearly as loud as Galfore had done but Galfore deemed it good enough.

He bowed his head at the rest of the Titans who repeated this action as well, though Cyborg had to stop Beast Boy from flashing a "V' sign toward the King.

"Now, the business that has brought your company here is not what I would like to call pleasant," Galfore cast a look at Starfire who blushed softly, looking apologetic, "It seems we have been unable to change your mind."

"I deem it to be the only way, Galfore," she said softly, looking down at her hands.

"The Titans and I believe this to be untrue," Robin spoke, his gaze straight towards Starfire before straying to Galfore, "There must be another way."

Sighing, Galfore joined his fingers together before starting slowly, trying to get his point across as best as he could.

"The rules in the Vegan realm are--- absolute," she started softly, his eyes gazing at the small chimney in front of him, "The only way where prisoners can win their freedom is through Sond'heir or by running away."

"I will do no such thing," Starfire said impatiently, "I have done that long enough."

"So, what happens before a Sond'heir?" asked Raven from next to Starfire.

"There is usually a waiting period, m'lady," he said to her, getting a surprised look from Raven who was not used to being called a lady, "but the Gordanians have decided that they do not want to wait so long. That is why they are here," he turned to look at Starfire pointedly, "They want to know you will not escape this time."

Sighing, Starfire rubbed her temples softly.

"If I decided to come back to Tamaran, do they not know that I will not run away?"

"Last time you escaped, you were under their very noses," he said quietly, continuing gently, almost too quietly for the team to hear, "You are very valuable to them."

Starfire gave him a strange look, almost afraid of what he had said.

"Why are you so valuable?" asked Raven, noticing the unusual reaction from Starfire.

"Slaves are--- well, as a royal slave, I was valuable," she muttered, getting tongue tied as she tried to think of something to say. However, Galfore gave her lie away. He looked at her with a strange expression, surprise and almost disappointment.

"So, when does she find out when the fight is?" inquired Cyborg, frowning with worry.

"That is all up to the Gordanians."

A moment of silence passed between them, thick with worry and concern.

After a while, Starfire spoke once more.

"What of Komand'er, Galfore? Any more news?"

Robin's head instantly snapped at her and she knew she was in trouble with him.

"The reports say she escaped but as I told you before, I have my doubts. It seems too simple, too easy and I do not purchase it."

"Buy it," Starfire interjected.

"Uh—yes, well, I will look into it again as soon as I can."

"Wait, so you think that someone set her free?" asked Robin, frowning at the thought.

"Perhaps. Nothing could be ruled out in these worlds."

There was a knock on the door and Galfore's voice boomed for them in Tamaranian. A single line of servants entered, all of the looking the same as the next. Red hair, bright green eyes, and the exact body shape.

"Please enjoy the food," Galfore said smiling, the smile lighting up his face in an instant, "I observed from last time that our meals are not of your liking," he pointed around to the plates as they were put on the table, "I hope this is better."

The plates contained human meals, both meats and salads, and Cyborg and Beast Boy instantly dug in. Disgusted, Raven shook her head and turned away from them. Though Robin didn't feel hungry after their talk, he also ate a few bites, not wanting to be disrespectful.

The rest of their conversation resided on better subjects and Robin learned more about Starfire than what he knew. He never quite realized it but her life on Tamaran was so contrasting with her life on Earth. She was a princess in this world and her life up to a point, had been filled with every luxury she could think of. Galfore reminisced about every mischief she had done, from keeping an escaped _oomergrumfle_ as her pet to hanging around with the commoners of the Kingdom.

Their faces illuminated by the stories changed the mood they were in. It seemed to be a gift all Tamaranians possessed.

After their meal, Galfore showed them their rooms, each one next to each other. While Galfore insisted that Starfire, or Koriand'er as he called her, sleep in a royal room, she denied it profusely.

"I am no longer pure royalty," she informed him, "I am part of a team now."

Reluctantly, Galfore let this pass and said good night to them, giving Starfire a strong hug. When he too retired for the night, the Titans went to sleep in their own respective rooms, trying to get used to the weird shape of the beds and furniture.

Robin and Starfire were left by themselves to say goodnight which they did but not before Robin spoke to her tersely.

"Why didn't you tell me about your sister?"

"That is family business," she said gently, hoping not to offend him, "There are some things that not even I want to know, much less share."

He gave her a reprimanding look, adding,

"What are you going to do with this waiting period then?"

She giggled for the first time since they landed at the thoughts that spilled out of her mouth before she could stop.

"I have quite a few ideas, Robin," she said softly, running a finger down his neck. He raised his eyebrows at her, the surprise evident on his face. Successfully getting his mind off the subject, she sighed a sigh of relief. He seemed to like the idea, however, as he pushed her back against the wall and locked her in with his arms. He kissed her gently, letting his need for her take over. Pushing himself against her, he trailed his finger on her arm, felling the goose bumps rise on her skin. Her own finger trailed down his back and he felt himself quickly losing control. He was sure he was crushing her against the wall but he couldn't help it. There were curves pushing back against his body, places where he longed to touch and caress, and they were alone and unrestricted by anyone, a perfect setting for _other_ things to happen….

Gasping for breath, he pushed away from her, leaving her in a daze and with her eyes closed. She dare not open them, knowing his own gaze would burn right through her.

"Going to bed sounds like a really good idea," Robin said, his voice scratchy with desire. Starfire chuckled softly at what he said and Robin could have slapped himself for saying something so stupid at the most inopportune moment.

"I mean, not with you though I'd ---- but no, of course, cause—"

"I know," she responded with a smile, "perhaps we should get some sleep."

"Yes, sleep--- good idea."

She brushed against him as she walked back to her room, leaning in to kiss him good night and leaving her fragrance for him to long for. She went into her room, leaving Robin dumbfounded and in great need of a long cold shower.

* * *

I think that writing about Tamaran is going to freaking rock! If you don't understand the meanings of the Tamaranian words (though I tried my best to make it as obvious as possible) please tell me and I will translate.

Toodles,

Chalak


	10. Chapter 10

Dudes, this is SOOO my favorite chapter. I wanna say thanks to those who review because it means A LOT to me. As for the lemon, it will happen in the future but I usually put it under a seperate story, just so this fic won't turn into M. Thanks again guys.

* * *

Tamaran had a few suns but only one lent its light to Tamaran. Mornings here were different than mornings on Earth. There were no birds chirping and the sun was not a bright yellow as it was on Earth. Instead, rays of a harsh orange burned through the small windows of the Palace's rooms and the sound of the harsh winds were the things that awoke the Titans. It took them a while to figure out what was a chair, where was the bathroom, and other necessities they needed to make it through the morning. Still, it wasn't as bad as last time and they got used to the strange commodities. Not knowing where to go or what to do, they all went to Starfire's room where she greeted them most cheerfully and happily led them back to the Grand Room.

She had changed from her normal attire and wore what looked to be a tube top though it was elegant and encrusted with red jewels. Her skirt was a bit longer and the patterns matched her shirt. She wore jewelry this time, various bracelets jingled on her arms and ruby earring hung from her ears.

The Grand Room was filled with all kinds of food, both for the Titans as well as for the Tamaranians who were eating aggressively at anything they could get their hands on. Starfire cheerfully told them to 'dig in' before she threw herself into the commotion as well.

It felt nice to see some things didn't change.

The breakfast was delicious, full of all the things Cyborg liked and all the fruits Beast Boy could eat before moaning about a full belly. The Tamaranians were dressed in the same fashion though with some individuality thrown in. Women had very little on but enough to cover the most important parts. Still, as more Tamaranians walked into the room, their clothes seemed to diminish until some just remained shirtless, much to the boys' obvious surprise (and some enjoyment). Most of the men wore a skirt like covering but remained shirtless. It was no wonder since the planet suddenly seemed to have become a hot spring all of a sudden. The Titans fidgeted slightly and it wasn't until Beast boy turned into a jackrabbit that Starfire noticed how hot they felt. She apologized profusely and led them to their quarters once more.

"I have been such a bad host," she told them as she went into the hall. She turned around suddenly, eyeing them carefully.

"Would you like to wear traditional Tamaranian clothes?"

The boys stood aghast, obviously thinking that wearing a skirt was not to their liking. Raven had no problem with the heat; she merely took off her cape and stood with her leotard on. She had noticed that many Tamaranian boys had glanced at her more than once but she didn't know if it was out of admiration or something else.

"Do you have something less—" said Beast Boy, rubbing his head and thinking of the word, "less skirty?"

"I dunno, B.B." interjected Cyborg, his voice hitting high notes as he waved his hand femininely toward him, "A nice skirt would look positively radiant on you."

"Real funny," he deadpanned, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Aren't you hot as well?"

"Eh, I have a cooling system built in me so that settles that matter."

Exasperated, Beast Boy turned to Robin for support.

"I kinda agree with Beast Boy on this one," he relented, "Is there nothing else we can wear?"

Starfire thought for a couple of moment, a little disappointed at not being able to see Robin walk around in traditional Tamaranian clothes, his muscular chest out in the open for her to see and maybe even touch a little……

"Star?"

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed, snapping her head back toward them and blinking to shake away her starry eyes, "There are some clothes especially for outsiders."

She smiled and signaled them to stay there. She flew away excitedly and disappeared around the corner.

"Phew!" sighed Beast Boy, relieved. He turned to Raven and winked at her, eyeing her figure with gently eyes.

"Maybe you could wear a skirt—Ow!"

Cyborg laughed as raven slapped him, eyes narrowed toward Beast Boy.

"In your dreams," she told him angrily.

"Wouldn't put it past him," said Robin, leaning back against the wall and trying to relax. The heat was atrocious and he could feel small beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Starfire returned quickly, carrying a couple of white garments for Beast Boy and Robin who took them gratefully and went into their rooms to change. Waiting patiently outside, Cyborg asked curiously,

"Do most of the Tamaranians here walk around half naked?"

"Oh yes, we have no inhibitions about our bodies, especially when it is so hot."

Raven scoffed, muttering something about a boy's wonderland.

The doors opened at last to reveal Beast Boy and Robin wearing a white tunic, falling a little above his knees and with two slits on his side. The tunics were made with the thinnest silk in the Kingdom and with the sunlight, one could see right through the shirt. Beast Boy's green body contrasted the purity of the color but it looked rather good on him. He paraded around, showing off his muscles to each of them but most especially to Raven who tried not to look impressed.

While Beast Boy's clothes were a tad too big on him, they fit perfectly on Robin. His tunic was also white and his skin was so white that it could have rivaled the tunic itself. She thought it could be because she had never seen him 'catch the rays' as others did on the beach or in the park. But he certainly was well built. His body would always be compact, the body of a trapeze artist, and while lithe he had well defined muscles on his chest and arms. Starfire tried not to stare but when he asked her for her opinion, Starfire blushed and told him he looked 'quite ravishing.'

Finally, they felt comfortable enough to accept Starfire's invitation to show them around the Palace. Excitedly, she began her tour the moment she turned the corner, showing them the small monuments that mounted the walls. Some of them were strange armors, made with a metal unknown to Earthlings but it was quite common to Tamaran. It was able to stop savage attacks by both weapons and beings. There were also busts that adorned the hallways, of every high official that held office or of priests of their goddess X'hal.

Their first stop was Thromen'tor or the Treasure Room. This room was filled with amazing things, painting that defied the laws of perspective and colors that seemed to jump out of the pages. Beautiful monuments stood there, ranging from small busts to gigantic depictures of beasts, acquisitively sculptured and without a missing one single detail. The Titans felt as if they were walking around a museum with Star as their guide. Most paintings and sculptures depicted scenes from wars between the Psions and the Citadel and for the first time, the Titans laid eyes on the beings threatening Starfire. The figures of the Citadels were horrendous things to see. They were ugly beasts, mutated physically and from the pictures around them, psychologically as well. Noticing their curiosity, Starfire began to explain their history.

"You see, the Citadel came to be from the brutal joining of X'hal and a Branx warrior. From this union, a mutated being was born who would later become the first Citadelian. He turned against the Psions who were his allies and cloned himself to create an army of Citadelians. However, all of them resulted in brutal, demented beings and they have sought nothing but war and power ever since."

"Are there any stories without any violence?" asked Beast boy incredulously, looking at the life size Citadelian in front of him.

"I am afraid not, Beast Boy," Starfire said softly, "The Vegans used to live in peace but that was many, many years ago."

They continued to walk and their next destination happened to be Chamber of Kings. This room contained all the famous Kings Tamaran had once. Starfire admitted to knowing very little about most of them but pointed the ones she knew and told them the little history she knew. Most of the Kings looked the same; they had bright green eyes and wild red hair though the oldest Kings resembled felines more than the younger ones. Finally, Starfire came upon the drawing of her parents and momentarily paused to touch their faces. Shaking her head softly, she turned o the Titans to give them a small smile.

"These are my deceased parents," she told them sadly, "Myand'er and Luand'er. Mother and Father married to unite the Southern and Northern Kingdoms together and had me and Komand'er. They died a short while after Komand'er and I were sold to the Gordanians and the small group of advisors ruled the planet until Komand'er took charge."

She turned back to her parents' portrait and sighed, once again touching their faces.

"I do not remember them as well anymore and their picture is the only real clue of what they looked like once."

Luand'er, her father, had wild blood red hair, huge in volume and curling all around his face. His beard was long enough to touch the floor and kept in tight knots all the way to the bottom. His eyes were a bottle green color and he exuded with power. Myand'er, her mother, looked exactly like Starfire. Her hair was brighter than her husband's but just as wild. Her eyes were the same color as Starfire's but they reflected a certain sadness that Starfire never had.

Turning away from the picture, Starfire took a small pause to compose herself and suddenly felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Robin's face and was surprised to see understanding written all over his face. He brushed the hair away from her face and gave her a sympathetic smile. She returned it with her own and continued the tour. They made their way outside, where the sun's rays hit them harshly. However, the palace grounds were beautiful and light breeze blew across them. The skies, instead of the cerulean blue that the Titans knew, was a dark purple haze mixed with pinkish swirls. It was still beautiful and obviously life providing since the Titans had no problem breathing in the air. Here is where Beast Boy spent most of his time playing around the small fountains and pools of water that had pooled from the last rains. Noticing that they were most likely not going to move from that spot, Raven took out a book from nowhere and sat on a soft purple chair on the grounds. She was surprised to feel the chair shape around her curves and before she knew it, she felt more comfortable than ever before. Smiling, she opened her book and began to read. Cyborg, Robin and Starfire decided to spend the day there as well, basking in the harsh yet comforting rays of Trutaklin, Tamaran's sun.

* * *

As night began to approach, it became chilly very suddenly. The temperature dropped drastically and the Titans sought refuge inside the walls of the palace. The fires had been lit and they made their way to the Grand Room to meet with Galfore. Once again, they had a spectacular meal but this was an intimate one as well. Here, they talked once more about their day, Galfore's duties, and anything light and pleasant. But like always, the conversation turned a slightly darker tone. Worried about Starfire, Robin brought up the subject.

"Not to ruin the mood but I need to know what will be happening these next days."

Galfore pushed his plate away, his fingers coming together out of habit as he thought.

"Koriand'er and I will decide on a day to meet with the Gordanians. She and I will go together and believe me they will not try anything with my presence. Gordanians can only do so much on this planet. The date will be set for the battle but it will probably be a couple of moonsets from now."

"So what will Star do with that time?" asked Beast Boy, munching on a strange red leave that he had come to love.

"What else but train, little one?"

"Or enjoy my time here on Tamaran," added Starfire pointedly.

"That reminds me, princess, I have forgotten to inform you but you see, my duties have taken a toll on your G'norfka."

Taking his huge hands in her delicate ones, she gave him an understanding look.

"Tamaran will be throwing a huge feast to honor your return tomorrow," he told the team, "your clothes have been delivered to your room since you are the guests of royalty, it is an honor to wear them."

Gulping simultaneously, the four teenagers looked at each other nervously.

"But I thought I was no longer a crown princess," started Starfire curiously, peering at her G'norfka with worried eyes.

"You may have denounced the throne but if something were to happen to me," he was interrupted by Starfire's 'X'hal prevent it!' and continued once more, "The royal duty would fall on you once more."

"It always returns to me, yes?"

He nodded, "You are the true royal heir."

Sighing, she nodded again but looked unhappy with the news.

The second day had ended in Tamaran and the Titans made their way back to their chambers, nervously waiting to see what in the blazes they would have to wear the day after.

Once the rest of the team inched into their rooms, Starfire turned to Robin and pressed her hands against his chest.

"The Lanshker looks delightful on you, Robin," she mumbled softly, eyeing him passionately. He laughed; the sound resonating in his chest and making her hands vibrate.

"Thanks," he said easily, holding her hands in his and turning serious, "I know you don't want to think about it but---"

"Oh Robin," Starfire sighed, "Can it wait until after the festivities? Please?"

Robin would argue against it, of course, thinking this to be important matters but Starfire had a trick up her sleeve. She pulled him against her and began to move her hands up his arms, feeling the muscles against her soft palms. He sighed against her ear, making her ruby earring chime, showing no sign of struggle and proved himself unable to resist her.

"This is foul play, _Koriand'er_," he whispered in her ear and the sound of his voice saying her name brought unthinkable thoughts into her head. He pulled back to look at her oddly, letting his fingers trail down her back and noticing, with apparent pleasure, the shiver that ran through her body.

"How come you never told me your real name?"

Her eyes closing, she responded off handedly,

"You never told me yours."

The caress on her lower back stopped suddenly and her eyes remained close, waiting for them to start again. However, when they did not come, her eyes snapped opened to look at Robin, who was looking down to the floor.

"Robin," she started apologetically, "I meant no offense—"

"I know," he commented softly, raising his eyes to look at her, "But you never asked."

She peered at him through her long eyelashes with confusion.

"If I ask, will you tell me?"

He nodded, pressing up against her again and capturing her between his body and the wall.

"Robin, what is your birth name?"

He leaned into her and whispered in her ear, an intimate secret passed between them and only between them.

She leaned back to search his face momentarily, her eyes exploring the contours of his features form something. Her fingers trailed down the side of his face, down the harsh jaw line, and down his neck. She leaned into him this time and whispered,

"You don't look like a Richard."

Surprised, he stared back at her. She gently fingered his mask, tugging it gently enough to move it but not hard enough for it to come off.

"The mask still makes you Robin."

To his great surprise, he found no real fear in taking off the one article he had become one with. It was as if it was glued to his face by now, built into his very anatomy. Yet, he found his fingers reaching for hers and signaling that it was ok for her to take the mask off. She looked as if she couldn't believe it for a moment but she recovered and nodded. Slowly, almost agonizingly, she tugged the mask off and was met with eyes that belonged to those of an angel, eyes that matched the Earth's very skies and seas. A smile gently formed on her lips as her astounded eyes searched his face again.

"There he is."

She almost regretted when he closed his eyes to kiss her but a moment later, she got caught up in his passion and gave in to him. He kissed her softly, enjoying the feel of her lips against his as he moved them painfully slow. She let a groan escape her lips and he responded with his own. He let his fingers trail up her arms, knocking the bracelets along the way, and enjoying the way she shivered when he reached her shoulders. His other hand was against her back, holding her as close to him as he could. He caressed the soft skin of her back, earning a couple of more gasps from her. Even though he was also turned on by her touches across his chest, he felt as if what he was doing to her was more than caresses for her. In fact, her moans were so passionate, he had to stop for a moment to control himself from the whirlwind she was setting him on.

"You ok?" he asked huskily, eyeing her strangely through hazed sapphire eyes.

Her eyes were still closed, a look of pure ecstasy on her face.

"Mmm—" was her response, "Oh, yes."

His eyes widening, he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. At the sound of his laughter, she opened her eyes and blushed, as if she had remembered something embarrassing all of a sudden.

"Ok," he said with a big grin on his face, "You need to explain why you are even more aroused than I am."

Her blush deepened and she looked like she wanted the planet to open up and swallow her whole.

"I have told you before that in Tamaran, lip contact is the means to acquire language, remember?'

He nodded, the lopsided grin fading from his face.

"So does this mean that when we kiss, you feel nothing?"

It was Koriand'er's turn to laugh, waving away his comment.

"Not at all, it's--- quite an experience--- a very enjoyable experience."

Sighing with relief, Richard nodded for her to continue.

"In Tamaran, we show affection in other ways."

Richard's blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Such as?"

Koriand'er looked down, embarrassed.

"Such as the touch of your hands against---sensitive places," she looked up to see Richard look as confused as before.

"Meaning?"

"Well, you remember how you're not supposed to touch me or why Galfore got so angry at you last time for touching my shoulder?"

He nodded, remembering all this well.

"Well, those are intimate parts. My arms, my shoulders, my stomach—"

"Exposed areas, then."

She nodded at him, sighing with unmet needs.

"So how do you kiss?" he asked her, letting his fingers linger across her stomach on purpose. He relished in the way her eyes fluttered shut, her eyelashes quivering to a close and her head dropped back to the wall.

"By pressing you cheek against mine," she whispered so low that it took a second for it to register. Letting his fingers continue their wandering, he kissed her lips for a second before letting his cheek brush against hers. Her hands tightened her hold on his shirt and the other hand which rested underneath his tunic sunk her nails in on his bare back. She was positively shaking in his arms by then but managed to give him a few brushed before he broke away, opening his eyes to look at her. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shone with great radiance as his hand went around her waist, encircling around it to bring her closer before trailing back to her stomach where he could feel lithe muscles reacting to his touch. She surprised him by kissing him on his lips, letting her own hands take pleasure from him.

Though the moons were usually blocked by the strange clouds, tonight they had parted and shone brilliance into the castle. By then, the two teenagers had been pulled into a heavenly oblivion that neither of them wanted to leave.

Still, even through the haze, they both knew that the hallway was not the best place to make out. Very, very reluctantly, Richard managed to pull away from Koriand'er to exchange clandestine whispers and say good night. With a soft stroke of her cheek against his, she made her way to her room, literally floating on thin air. Once her door closed, she leaned against it, eyes closed, cheeks burning and lips swollen. She felt elated beyond belief and knew, at once, she would not be able to sleep.

A sharp rapping frightened her and chased the lovely thoughts away from her head. She opened the door and saw, to her great surprise, that Galfore was standing there.

"Koriand'er," he said in Tamaranian, "We need to speak."

* * *

The Grand Room was lit by one big fire, big enough to provide light and warmth to the area. The purple furniture held the Ruler of Tamaran and the crown princess, Koriand'er to speak of important matters. Her face had been lit by a fire that no one but _he_ could give her but now, there was no trace left.

"I do not understand this, Galfore; I thought you would be happy for me."  
"Koriand'er, do not believe for a mere second that I am not ecstatic that you have found love. There are only a handful of Royals that can say they have married in love and nothing else. But these times are strange times, my Bongorf and we must be very careful with what we do."

"What are you telling me, Galfore? I should not show my affection for him?"

Sighing, Galfore touched her face gently.

"He has kissed you, yes?"

Trying to hide her blush, she muttered 'yes' in response.

Chuckling, he continued,

"I happen to like the lad. To be able to lead a successful; team, one has to be strong, both physically and mentally. I believe he is a great match for you."  
"I do too."

Galfore rubbed his temples and for the first time, Starfire noticed the wrinkles on her G'norfka and became instantly worried.

"What do you wish to tell me?" she asked anxiously.

"The festivities tomorrow are not only to celebrate your arrival but to celebrate something else," he stopped and recognized the look on her face.

"Galfore, you don't mean---?"

"The prince of Kalapatt has come to meet his betrothed."

Stuttering, Starfire panicked.

"But that was so long ago---how could you---!"

"My dear one," Galfore said soothingly, trying to calm her for she had begun shaking in her seat, "Would I truly marry you off to someone you have never met?"  
She turned to look at him, her face pale and ash-stricken.

"What do you mean?"

"This visit is to keep up appearances and that is all," he looked into the fire, the scar on his left eyes thrown into sharp focus, "The fact is, no one knows if you will survive the Sond'heir but until there is confirmation that you have passed on, everything needs to go on as normal. Tamaran is the only planet so far that has Gordanians troops stationed on their backyard and are still able to function as normal."

He looked at her pointedly.

"Because of me?"

He nodded, returning his gaze to the fire.

"We have become a great nation because of this and everyone wants to ally with us. Until this is all over, we must maintain it this way, do you understand? An alliance with Kalapatt at times like these will come in very handy."

Left with her thoughts, Koriand'er didn't even notice she was back in the hallway of her chambers until she found herself facing her door. She turned to look at Richard's door and thought of those moments with him. Making up her mind, she turned and walked to his chambers, opening his door softly.

The room was dark; the moon could not filter in at this angle. She spotted Richard lying on the soft purple mattress and tip-toed to him. If there was ever a time to tell him, it was now, before she lost her nerve. She whispered his name several times but when no response came, she moved closer. She tripped on a disregarded show and cursed softly in Tamaranian. Once she was close to him, she stopped, her hand extended and her nostrils filled with his scent, a mixture of soap and sweat that intoxicated her.

Suddenly (or maybe not, she was too drunk to know for sure) his hand reached out for hers and harshly brought her down on the bed. Alarmed, she struggled which made him bend her arm to her back and pushed her face down against the mattress. She was a lot stronger than he was but realizing he was probably dealing with a Tamaranian, he climbed on top of her and held her in a way that she could not push him off. She heard his pants come closer to her ear and heard him whisper callously,

"Who are you? What do you want?"

Her mouth was against the pillow but she managed to say his name. Shocked to hear his birth name, he said the name of the only person who knew him well enough.

"Kori?"

He got off her, settling next to her and letting her recover.

"Jesus, Kori, I'm so sorry, I thought---"

She gave him a dirty look and was about to get up when she was jerked back down, yelling out in pain.

"The earring---"

Richard bunched the sheets and told her to sit next to him. He focused on the small rubies that made up the earrings while Koriand'er focused on him.

"Kori?" she asked curiously.

Even through the weak light, she saw him blush.

"I have this thing for nicknames---"

"It's ok, I like it," she smiled at him, "You called me that in English too."

Noticing his confusion, she explained,

"Kori means Star in Tamaranian. And'er is my family's name for as long as anyone can remember and it means fire."

He chuckled at that.

"Who knew?"

Once the earring was safely dislodged, she sat Indian style on his bed.

"What's up?" he said to her, letting his knuckles graze her cheeks.

"I have some disturbing news to report," she said gently, sliding closer to him, "so please let me say the whole thing before you start freaking out."

Richard groaned.

"That's never a good sign."

Nearly sitting on his lap, she started to tell him what Galfore had told her and watched his handsome face turn sour, his gorgeous eyes darken as she continued.

"So let me get this straight. You want me to sit back and watch some prince from another planet flirt with you and do absolutely nothing?"

"Mmm-mm."

"Yeah," he trailed off, "You're out of your mind."

"Richard, please. It is only until I battle and then it'll be all over."

"You sure?" he asked incredulously, not believing single word and looking very upset, "You mean to tell me this guy will pass on the opportunity to marry you?"

"Galfore will see to it that I do not leave Tamaran married."

Richard's hand went straight to his head, scratching it ferociously and shaking with anger.

"I'm just supposed to let this happen?"

Her hand reached to touch his face soothingly.

"Have faith that you are the only one I love and nothing and no one will ever change that."

Looking at her, he grunted something or other but it made Koriand'er laugh and jump on him. His arms surrounded her waist as he looked up at her.

"Kori, I'm a selfish bastard when it comes to you," he told her honestly, "I'm extremely uncomfortable with all of this."

"As am I," she conceded and lowered her head closer to his, letting her long red locks tickle his face, "You and I will make it through, yes?"

His response was a kiss that melted her very bones and heart.

They would be all right----or at least, they hoped so.

* * *

I know the plot seems a bit similar to other stories but believe me, I have a few surprising twists and turns. 


	11. Chapter 11

I really like this chapter, please leave feedback on what you think. By the way, Karras is just another obstacle, maybe in the far future will he cause a lot of trouble but not yet.

* * *

You turn heads,  
Twenty four seven.  
In nightclubs, in shopping centers,  
At local corner shops and even at work.

Beauty queens, film stars  
Even super models  
Are no matches for you,  
In the head turning stakes.

Helen of Troy,  
The face that launched a thousand ships,  
But never turned as many heads,  
As you.

You say you love me,  
Which I've never doubted  
But like any red blooded male,  
I cannot help,  
Being jealous when  
You turn heads.

----Khadim Hussain

Koriand'er had returned to her room that night, not trusting herself to stay in his bed and just…sleep. Instead, she had given him a soft goodnight kiss and reminded him, gently and unimposing, what the next day held.

"Kinda hard to forget something like that," he grumbled grumpily, his arms snaking around her waist as she got up from the bed and pulled her back down to him. He reminded her wordlessly that he was the only one who could touch her and kiss as such; not that Koriand'er needed reminding but she was never one to complain, especially when the sweet torture of his lips blew every comprehensive thought out of her mind. Before things began to get too steamy, they pulled away again and this time, Koriand'er managed to slip away from his lips and made her way to the door.

Having nothing better to do now that Koriand'er had left, he leaned back against his arm and stared at the ceiling, a small smile on his swollen lips. Really, Tamaran wasn't turning out to be such a strange place; things were going better here than on Earth. Maybe it was the different atmosphere or it could have been that Koriand'er had never looked as beautiful as she did now but he was enjoying this vacation…. Only then did he realize that this _wasn't_ a vacation. Like always, his imposing mind decided to give him a reality check at the worst time possible; right smack in the middle of his happiness.

Koriand'er was here for other matters than making out with him or even flirting around with some jerky prince from another planet. The matters they had here were dark and not reason for him to be acting so stupidly, with his head up in the clouds and completely disregarding the dangers she faced (as well as Richard for he had gotten way too attached to her). The ever familiar scowl, practiced to perfection, came back into his face as he flipped to his side, looking at the very soft rays of light that came from outside.

He hadn't even glanced at what he was supposed to wear tomorrow night though he hoped with all his heart and soul it would not be a loincloth or anything that would be _remotely _similar to a loincloth. In fact, he didn't even want to think about the next night. He had been dating Koriand'er for a couple of days and already problems were starting. It was funny that he suddenly saw this prince as more of a threat than the very battle she was supposed to partake in. He was extremely worried about the battle, of course, and he knew a lot was at stake here. It was not just the slavery deal but he feared for her very life. Koriand'er could defend herself easily and he took pride in knowing that he had taught her how to fight well but this was a whole other deal. The rules were different here. His hands were completely tied and he felt utterly useless, a feeling he wasn't accustomed to. It was Tamaranian decree holding him back and his interference could cost Koriand'er her life.

He couldn't protect her here.

* * *

The day started out well enough with Starfire taking them out of the palace to see Tamaran, the entire planet. Starfire insisted they would be able to do this within the day though Tamaran was an enormous planet, at least three times the size of Earth.

"Most of it is a barren wasteland, though," she assured them, "We will fly right over the deserts as we head South."

So with that, they set off out of the palace walls and into the city of Waka'oakna, the capital of Northern Tamaran.

Wearing the normal Tamaranian clothes, the Titans made their way from the courts of the palace, lavished in gold draperies and rubies decorating anything that looked good in red, into the city, a place not so plentiful in big and shiny things. To their surprise, it was very similar to Earth in many ways. The houses that surrounded the outer edges of the city were moderate in size and then there were some that towered over all of the, enormous in size.

"Those are important Tamaranians that live there," she told them, passing the houses and smiling at those who gave them a bow, "They are officials of the capital."

"Dude, do they really need all that space?" asked Beast Boy, his mouth agape, "I mean, don't they get lost in there or something."

"Yeah, can you imagine them walking around in the dead of night, not knowing where they're going and BAM! They fall into the toilet."

Beast boy laughed as Cyborg said all of this, his hyper active imagination working on over time. Even Starfire giggled, muffling the sound with her small fists.

North Tamaran was built upon a huge mountain and walking down the slope to get to the city was impossible. Tamaranians managed because of their ability to fly but since Cyborg and Robin couldn't, they were carried by those who could. Robin loved the feeling of flight, even though as a human he could not fly naturally. He loved it best when Starfire carried him because he didn't have the painful claws of a Pterodactyl on his shoulders or the slightly cold feeling in his stomach when Raven encased him in darkness. Starfire would softly carry him from his shoulders with the touch of a feather so he felt as if he was truly flying.

They settled at the edge of the city but they could already hear the noise of the Capital. As they entered, they saw that the building were different than those from Earth. These were made out of the same material as the castle (or so it seemed) and they were not tall but wide. One building seemed to take up the entire block which formed the streets and passages into the city. The streets were similar to those on Earth but the only exceptions being that they were about the size of five Earth blocks to form just one in Waka'oakna. The first buildings they saw were those of officials and they could easily tell by the huge insignias plastered all over its walls. The Royal Symbol of Tamaran indicated those of high positions and even though Starfire was technically royalty, even she had to bow to them before speaking.

"We are not a democracy like our State on Earth but we are not an absolute monarchy either. I believe the right term in Constitutional Monarchy, yes?"

She pointed at the buildings as they passed, occasionally bowing to a few men in the same type of clothes Robin and Beast Boy wore but they had jewelry around their neck and hair, indicating importance. Once they flew over the official buildings, they saw a mess of people walking by, chattering in loud voices and if it wasn't for the great disregard of clothes, it could have been a scene right out of Jump City.

Men walked around shirtless, their huge muscles popping out for everyone to see. Some walked around in what could be barely described as a loincloth while others seem to have had enough time to grab some clothes before walking outside.

Girls walked with girls, hand in hand, arms joined, and chattering a mile per hour about who knows what. In various states of undress (except for the huge ruby diamonds hanging off their ears and necks), they walked carelessly around with a carefree avarice unseen on Earth. But then again, none of the Tamaranian boys were gawking at them as the three Titan Boys were.

"_Please_, try not to embarrass the entire human race," reprimanded Raven, giving Beast Boy a slap on the head for drooling at a certain Tamaranian girl who seemed to have completely forgotten her clothes at home.

Starfire giggled at Beast Boy who seemed unable to hide his excitement at being able to gawk at all these bare girls but was less than pleased when she realized Robin was doing the same thing, albeit a lot more subtle than Beast Boy.

"Do you wish for me to dress the same way?" she asked coyly, leaning over to whisper seductively to Robin who seemed to do a double take at her. Still, she had successfully taken his mind away from the half naked girls and had planted other kinds of seeds in his head. She wasn't too bothered by his glancing around but after all the time she had spent on Earth, the custom of walking around as bare as the other Tamaranian girls were doing suddenly did not please her. She supposed that the discreet ways of Earth had rubbed off her more than she thought. Besides, Robin was not about to jump into bed with one of them, she knew that for a fact. If there was anything Starfire could be sure enough to bet her life on, it was his values. He was not the type of boy who would hurt her in such a way, sleeping around or flirting with other women. This was just not the way he was.

As the Tamaranians walked b y them, they bowed to her, some of them coming to chat with her or try to sell her something. Starfire smiled and waved her way through the capital with the Titans right behind her. The capital was not as advanced as the ones on Earth but then again, advanced was not the right word. They did not need any cars to move around the city, not when they had the ability to fly, so automobile technology was non-existent in Tamaran. The buildings were kept small because, as Starfire told them, their yearly dust falls eroded away most buildings within weeks. The city had an incredible water system, spanning for miles on end. The only three water supplies on Tamaran were oases located in three different parts of Tamaran. The tubing for the water supply ran mostly underground but as they passed certain parts of the Capital, they could see the indentations were the tubes ran closer to the surface.

The very center of Waka'oakna was where most parliament meetings were held and where Kings and Queens were officially designated. Here, only those with Royal blood could enter as well as those who had been given the acknowledgement from the heavenly bodies.

In other words, priests.

The Parliament court was a large area, spanning for a dozen blocks or so. Monuments of war, destruction, and victorious battles surrounded the buildings but also, sweet depictions of Royal families stood side to side with the hostile tributes of war. They were all strangely familiar, the same type of hair, the same eyes, the same positions. Their generations had not changed in the least since branching out from felines.

"My father's monument should be around here as well," she muttered, looking around the shrines of Tamaranians, and her eyes soon found him.

Leading them over to them, she spoke softly, as if she did not want anyone but the Titans to hear what she had to say.

"Father did not like the fact that Komand'er looked so entirely different from the rest of us so he refused to add her to the Court of Royalty."

Right in the middle of the two towering figures stood a small child that the Titans instantly recognized. Very small in height (or at least, compared to her towering parents) she stood confidently with her father's hand around her shoulder. While her parents looked the part of King and Queen, Starfire had the glint of Royalty in her eyes. She stood there, at a very young age, with the bounding certainty that she was to be the next Queen of Tamaran. While father and daughter had the role down packed, her mother had a more distant look on her face, a longing that made her seem isolated from her husband and daughter. She bore large jewelry around her neck and ears and everywhere on her clothes was the stamp of Tamaranian lineage. She seemed to be held down by these large symbols and she looked rather uncomfortable, as if she wished for nothing more than to take all those heavy things off as soon as possible.

Robin was sure Starfire realized this in her mother. He wouldn't say anything at the moment but he made a mental not to talk to her later about it. She seemed to be all right showing them all this private stuff but Robin knew it was hard to have all their family drama out in the open for everyone, including the Titans, to see.

She suggested they go down to the Southern villages of Tamaran and in order to do that, they had to fly a few miles. Packed with water and food, they went to the very edge of the city and flew from there to the South. As they passed by the rocky mountains and desert plains, they spotted one of the oases Starfire had been talking about. In the middle of sands and barren land, a green landscape stood out like a sore thumb. Beautiful shades of green illuminated the otherwise desolate lands and the trees and grass expanded for a mile or so before it abruptly finished, letting the desert take over once more. They glanced around at the animals living in the desert, not that different from Earth animals except in size. The Titans flew quite high since the animals were relatively big in size. Beast Boy seemed to have a knack for turning into them successfully though he stopped suddenly when he saw he was attracting too much attention from the animals themselves.

Finally, they arrived at the Southern villages of Tamaran, severely contrasting the big Capital of Northern Tamaran. The people here were just as friendly to Starfire as the other Tamaranians, the buildings were small as well, and both men and women wore very little to fight off the horrible heat of the planet. Yet, the town itself had no big monuments, no official buildings, and the people barely wore jewelry.

This was not a wealthy city nor had it ever been.

"My mother was royalty here but the title was merely that. Just a title. She lived in the same houses as the other Tamaranians did, wore the same clothes, void of jewelry, and ate with the villagers. I believe it is because of the drastic change in lifestyle that my mother did not feel comfortable at the palace."

They stayed in the village a while longer than at the Capital, feeling oddly at home here. The people threw them a small feast and settled themselves next to the Titans, speaking to them as if they could understand them. Perhaps they _did_ realize that the Titans had no clue what they were saying but that did not stop them. Pretty soon, the Titans stopped trying to translate and nodded with them, laughed with them, and heard all their tales, not caring if they could _completely _comprehend what they were saying. They got the jist of it, anyway.

The food was mainly fruits and vegetables of the Tamaranians' land. They were scrumptious to consume, so sweet and mouthwatering were the Oplimon with their hard shells that contained the sugary center or the ba'kel that was syrupy in consumption. Needless to say, they felt very reluctant at the prospect of leaving the town so soon. But the banquet was nearing and they could not afford to be late. It was with high enthusiastic spirits that they left the town, promising to return as soon as possible.

They could barely fly back; they were so full of food. Beast boy and Cyborg had consumed the most which seemed to be perfect with the Tamaranians. They were proud that their crops were to their liking and the moment they were done with their share, the Tamaranians would shovel more into their hands. Not that Beast boy or Cyborg minded, of course.

Back at the palace, the festivities were on their way and people were already arriving. Night was beginning to settle into the atmosphere and though the temperatures were still warm, they all knew that they could drop at any given moment. Most Tamaranians wore nice clothes, the men preferring to go shirtless once more but accompanied with the ever abundant jewelry. The women had their own share of trinkets to compliment their dresses and skirts. Not all of them wore purple or different shades of purple. Some wore pink or a light blue shade but those were few and far between. However, the Titans soon noticed that _others_ were arriving, others who were not Tamaranians.

Robin did not need Star to tell him that they were Kalapattians. They went tot heir own perspective rooms to change and for the first time, Robin felt the unfamiliar prickle of fear at the prospect of clothes. She hadn't felt like this in a long time, not since Bruce made him wear a tuxedo to attend parties with him. He always felt uncomfortable in those constricting clothes; he had always liked the baggy jeans and baggy shirts, hell even tights were more comfortable than a tuxedo.

Going into his chambers, he spotted his formal wear. He gave a huge sigh of relief at the sight of dark purple pants that lay in the middle of his bed. He picked them up and was surprised to see just how baggy they were but they were made out of the same materials his other pants were made of. He saw the matching purple cuffs next to the pants and the boots. Feeling very relieved, he proceeded to shower and change, feeling extremely strange but bizarrely comfortable. Of course, there was no shirt to wear but there was a chest neck plate, very much like the one Starfire wore with her uniform. There was also jewelry but Robin was never one to wear necklaces or earring. Still, he wore the necklace only, just in case it was deemed as disrespectful if he disregarded it so easily.

He left his hair spiky and his mask on place. There was no way he would ever part with those two things in front of so many people. He did, however, leave some hair down and tied it back into a small ponytail in the back of his head.

He left, feeling at ease for now, though he knew what was in store for that night.

* * *

Cyborg and Beast boy had changed into similar clothes and Robin was surprised to see Cyborg change into Victor that night. He didn't know he had brought his image inducer with him but as Cyborg told him,

"Don't want to make the natives jittery."

Raven came out with Beast boy, a look of extreme discomfort on her face. She was void of her favorite color and instead, she wore what seemed to be a purple halter top but very elegant in style. Thin strings of rubies fell from the bottom of the halter top and shimmered across her white belly. She wore a simple matching skirt, long and tight-fitting with a single slit from her hip and all the way down. The skirt was so tight, though, that one could see absolutely nothing on her hip except a small slit of white skin. The cut widened as it traveled down her leg, exposing the long curves of her leg, calf, and thin ankles.

"Raven?" asked Cyborg incredulously, not believing what he was seeing.

"Say something and die," she said as calmly as possible but the pillows on the couches behind her became encased in a dark light and exploded, sending small cotton balls all over the place.

"I think she looks hot," commented Beast boy and was surprised by the sudden dust trails left by Cyborg and Robin. He turned to glance at Raven who looked as if Trigon had taken complete control over her.

As Robin and Cyborg made their way into the Grand Room, they distinctively heard a loud squeal of, "Help!!" that sounded strangely like Beast Boy.

"He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut," said Cyborg ruefully and Robin could not agree more.

The doors of the Grand Room opened and they stepped inside attentively. A splash of color met their eyes, all shades of purple, orange, blues, and reds could be seen in this very room. Everyone gave them a small bow as they walked back, recognizing them as honored guests of the princess. Cyborg and Robin bowed back, whispering,

"This is beyond weird,"

Not knowing where to go, they waited for Beast Boy and Raven by the entrance. After a few moments, they came in, appearing as normal as they could but Raven couldn't hide a small smile that didn't want to leave her lips.

"Where's Star?" asked Beast Boy, looking around at he guests, adding, "and who are they?"

There a strange group of people who did not fit the Tamaranian appearance. These people had dirty blond hair and wore different clothes, more war-like and sharp than the lovely femininity of Tamaranian clothes. They had a deep shade of blue all over their clothes and their seals made them recognizable as Kalapattians. The women wore next to nothing, being covered by cobalt plates and ebony diamonds while the men wore chest plates of the same colors and skirt like coverings. They did not seem as friendly as the Tamaranians and in fact, they were all in their own little group, making conversations with themselves instead of befriending the Tamaranians. Then again, the Tamaranians, for once, did not extend their courteousness to the Kalapattians.

The party continued, the laughter and chats echoing all over the room. While the Titans had no objection to sitting down and talking amongst themselves, they did begin to wonder where Starfire could be. Robin had not seen her after they had gotten back from South Tamaran.

As if reading his mind, a single line of Tamaranian soldiers suddenly came out of the curtain that had once revealed Blackfire as the Empress of Tamaran and they stood in line, blowing their horns. Cringing, the Titans tried not to look affected by the loud noise as they announced something in Tamaranian. They recognized the name Galfore and stood up to face him, bowing as the rest of the people bowed. Galfore came out from behind the curtain, his great body covered in gold plates and crests of royalty bestowed upon him. He slammed his fists against his chest, letting a loud tremble across the room and the people of Tamaran did the same. A loud boom of fist against metal rang across the room once more before Galfore smiled and shouted something in Tamaranian. Again, all the Titans could do is try to recognize some words.

The curtains opened slightly and a familiar face stepped out. It was Koriand'er, in all her Tamaranian glory, perfectly looking the part of princess and future Queen of Tamaran. Her dress was extremely elegant, a soft violet in color and form fitting. Her silver chest plate held up the dress which started in a v-neck shape, exposing the small graceful bones of her neck and the fine line of her bosom, showing more than any of the Titans had ever seen before. The dress continued downward until it suddenly split on her left side, a soft sideways V that exposed her much of stomach, bellybutton, and continued to expose her hip, giving a glimpse of the small muscle line that trailed to a place that she had never, ever been shown before. The dress continued to hug her curves but slowly separated, the front forming a downward V and exposing her legs as the back created a cape of sorts, flowing behind her in majestic beauty.

Jewelry adorned her ears, her neck, and wrists. She wore the mark of pure royal blood: a heavy M shaped 'crown' that curved around her face as her hair curled around her back, longer than anyone had realized. She rarely wore makeup on Earth though lately she had tried on eyeliner and mascara. Now, she wore a shade of amethyst on her eyelids that extended past her lids to the sides of her face, forming a soft curve that reached the very beginning of her cheekbones.

The people of Tamaran bowed again as did the Titans, unable to take their eyes away from her. She made a short speech, the language falling out of her red lips softly and gently, letting it caress her people in words spoken between them. It was as soothing as the sound of one's mother whispering endearing words in your ear and at once, the atmosphere relaxed; the change only evident when the tension was cut.

Her speech over, she smiled and shouted out something, her hands raised to the heavens. The people cheered and continued as normal, chattering and laughing as before. The Titans walked over to her, settling back and waiting for her to stop speaking to Galfore before approaching her.

"Highness," said Cyborg with a bow, with a gentle mocking voice that made her smile embarrassedly. Her eyes traveled to Raven and they could see she was holding back an 'aww' of joy.

"You look incredible," she said instead and couldn't help the smile that escaped her lips.

"Talk about incredible," she responded, giving her a full body glance, "You look like deity or something."

Blushing, Starfire tried not to glance at Robin who was giving her a smoldering look and she knew if she looked at him, she would combust with passion. She had discreetly given him a glance as she spoke to her people and was extremely pleased with what she saw. He wasn't as short as he had once been but when he wore baggy pants and no shirt, it became very noticeable. His chest was a labyrinth of sinewy muscles, defined by the training and battles he had engaged from such an early age. His arms were lean and delineated, strong enough to take down mammoth of villains and yet, gentle enough to hold her in a safe embrace.

Yeah…. She should look away right about…..now.

Starfire walked with them to the banquet table where, in a few moments, they were served with food. They ate heartily, much more politely than what they usually ate like. After such a big feast in South Tamaran, the Titans ate very little, taking their time to chew their share. Nothing different happened during that time though Starfire voiced her concern that the Prince of Kalapatt had yet to arrive. Robin didn't see where the concern part would come in and he hoped the prince had crashed against a meteor or something.

Childish, yes, but it did not change the fact that he was extremely uncomfortable with all of this. Especially when Starfire looked the way she looked at the moment. It took him all his might to not kidnap her and take her somewhere more private, just the two of them kind of private with a couch or a bed, someplace comfortable where he would have time to see just where that small muscle on her abdomen led to….

"Dude!"

"Wha---?"

"I said, the banquet is over," said Beast Boy annoyed, "What's up with you?"

"N—Nothing," he stammered, getting up from the table and joining the mass back to the court.

"He's here," said Starfire nervously, her hands coming in together in front of her, the bangles bumping against each other and jangling against her wrists.

"Who?" asked Robin, still feeling a little dumbfounded.

But Galfore answered it for him.

"Theu'r hunyak Kalapatt un Karras!"

He appeared the same way as Starfire had, from behind the veil, and was greeted with bows as well. Robin reluctantly bowed as well though he had to be pulled down completely by Cyborg. Starfire went up to him, much to Robin's chagrin, and bowed to him privately. He smiled and took her hand, touching her arm as the people cheered.

"Uh…" said Beast boy confusedly, "what did I miss?"

"Dunno but they seem really happy---" Cyborg turned to look at Robin who was positively fuming from his ears.

"Yo, are you ok?"

Of course they didn't know but Robin was about to wring the prince's neck. While Starfire looked pleased, her eyes gave her away as she glanced apologetically at Robin.

"How come he gets to touch her and not us?" asked Raven, hitting the nail on the head.

"They're engaged," Robin mumbled darkly and was greeted by surprised gasps and a "Wha---?" from Beast Boy.

"They're going to get married?" asked Raven worriedly, her eyes traveling to them as they made their way to the center of the room. The Tamaranians and Kalapattians began to form a circle around the couple, smiling softly at the two.  
"They _won't_ get married," Robin whispered harshly, trying not to draw too much attention as they made their way toward them as well, "It's just to keep up alliances."

They made their way to see the Kalapattian prince bow at her and take her by the waist, touching the exposed skin as music started. With a fearful glance at their fearless leader, the Titans prayed the dance wouldn't take long.

Starfire and Karras took their positions, oddly similar to the ones on Earth, and the lights around the room dimmed. They began to dance intricate steps, incredibly in tune with each other. In all, there were no words to describe how quickly their feet moved or the great balance it must have required but they did it in unison and flowed together within the circle. Even with these strange steps, the dance itself was very elegant and beautiful, complimenting the music perfectly.

He smiled at her, charmingly and he whispered something in her hear, getting awfully close to her cheeks. Starfire pulled back slightly, closing her eyes and praying to X'hal for strength and most of all, for luck.

_Don't let Robin lose control._

He was working on it, choosing to glare at the prince and wishing he would spontaneously combust. The music slowly built up and it would have been pleasant music to dance to if it was Robin who was dancing with Starfire. He truly didn't know why he felt so jealous. She had told him it meant absolutely nothing and just because he was trying to get close to her didn't mean that Starfire would like it or even let him. He knew, inside where that annoying little voice bugged him the most, that it was deeper than anything else. Maybe it was the fact that she could be married off to some handsome prince from another planet so easily, with nothing either of them could do. Maybe it was because she deserved this life of riches and things that Robin could never give her. What if, one day, she decided that she _did_ want to rule Tamaran? He couldn't go with her; this wasn't his planet. Then again, Earth was not her planet as well.

The music reached a beautiful crescendo and Karras lifted her into the air, letting her fly on top of the spectators who responded romantically. He flew after her, shocking the Titans with the excellent grace he exuded. The two continued to dance in the air, no longer with complicated movements but with poised turns and dips. They twirled around each other with coquette movements as Karras would caress her arm, her hip, and her back. She would smile at him as he did this, caressing him in her own way. He seemed to be very impressed with her beauty and didn't seem to want to come down from their flight. After a while of twirls and loops, he slowly descended with her until they touched solid ground again. The song ended, the lights returned, and they bowed to each other again. Playing her part perfectly, she smiled prettily to him and thanked him.

Galfore approached them, clapping and thumping Karras on the back. He didn't even jerk as Galfore's massive hand clapped his back and engaged him in a chat. Galfore paused their conversation, saying something else to the crowd before giving Karras his full attention. The crowd did not disperse but instead, they looked at Starfire expectedly.

She smiled and walked toward the Titans. She leaned over to whisper to them,

"You may dance if you wish but wait until everyone else starts, yes?"

They nodded in unison, wanting to ask her a million questions but decided that could be left for later.

"Starfire, I---"

Before Robin could even start, she took him by the hand and led him to the middle of the circle. Nervously, he asked what was happening.

"We are dancing," she responded happily, "it is my turn to choose and I choose you, Robin."

She placed her hands on him and nodded at him, giving him permission. Out of habit, he placed his hands on her body, the dance lessons his 70 year old butler had once given him flooding back into his waterlogged brain.

"I don't know how to dance Tamaranian----"

She giggled, her eyes lighted by the pleasure of his hands on her.

"Once we start dancing, everyone else does so you do not have to worry."

Nodding, they started the first few steps and slowly, people started dancing around them as well, hiding them from view until they became one with the mass of people. The dimming of the lights plunged them into a deeper darkness so that very little could be seen. Koriand'er let him lead, quickly picking up on the simpler style of ballroom dancing Richard knew.

"You look so very handsome tonight," she whispered to him, her face very near his. He had half a mind to kiss her senseless right there and then but he thought that might not be the brightest idea he had. Instead, he gave her a lopsided grin, the nervousness gone and the anger slowly ebbing away.

"You look incredible," he murmured, his voice becoming scratchy with the stupor he felt in her presence but he instantly felt idiotic for stating the obvious in such a stupid manner. She blushed at his comment, liking the way his voice sounded. He twirled her, catching her by the waist and letting his fingers trail in the soft part of her back. Her eyes fluttered close as she let a very soft moan escape her parted lips.

"I didn't like how much he touched you," he said softly, no angry tone in his voice but merely stating what he felt.

"And does the dress have to reveal all of these intimate parts?" he added, a little annoyed this time. Giggling, she nodded.

"That was the whole point, Richard."

"Figures."

She smiled, letting him twirl her again and pushing him closer to her each time he did. Her eyes would leave his masked ones to glance around but most of the time, Karras and Galfore would be talking so she didn't have to worry about stealing a couple of caresses here and there. The music continued to play as the two got more intimate, no longer exchanging words but instead, exchanging soft glances and softer touches. She discreetly grazed his cheek with hers and let her lips trail down his neck, shivering as he did the same with her. His hands had a life of their own and she no longer paid attention to anything else but him. He turned her around, easing the hair back to her other shoulder, giving him the chance to trail butterfly kisses on her shoulder as the cover of the dark around them kept them safe. The music was reaching its crescendo again and the room was suddenly left empty as the guests flew into the air.

A yell was heard from above as Cyborg was lifted by the Tamaranian woman he was dancing with and Raven used her powers to lift Beast Boy with her. Suddenly left by themselves, Richard disentangled himself from Koriand'er and lifted her off the ground, high in the air and twirled her around as the crescendo quickly ended. The guests flew back down and he brought her down as well, excruciatingly slowly and keeping his eyes on hers as he pulled her against him, once again hidden by the mass of bodies around them. He could smell the alluring scent coming from her chest, so close to him that she was and the same scent trailed her neck, her soft jaw line, up to her shoulders and finally, her lips. She felt the ground beneath her feet as she looked up to him, eyes cloudy with desire and half lidded by her eyelashes. Time seemed to stop for that instant and they wanted nothing more than to stay in that embrace.

Suddenly, the lights came back on and the clapping started, snapping them out of their trance. A more upbeat tempo began playing but they thought it best to stop while they were ahead.

They separated and went to the couches by the fire, trembling slightly and feeling weak. They spent most of their time there, glancing at each other and smiling intimately, in the way teenagers their age act with their first love. Starfire spoke with the Tamaranians who came to converse with her and she fulfilled her duties as host to talk to them. When Galfore called her, she left most reluctantly and went over to him. The party was dwindling down and Karras was leaving to go back home.

She courteously said her good byes to him and bowed but he pulled her up against him and with a smile, he grazed his cheek against hers. Muffling a gasp of horror, she forced herself to smile as he pulled back and looked at her chest where he had adorned her with a golden necklace, carrying his family's crest with his planet's insignia on it. It was a token of marriage, clear enough for everyone to see. The crowd applauded and cheered. The two worlds would one day join together through their princess. She sighed to regain her nerve and touched the prince's face, thanking him. He bowed and took his leave, his work done.

She looked around for Robin, horrified and saw him in the same place where she had left him. She expected to see him fuming, angry, in a rage big enough to bring down all sorts of catastrophes to the Kalapattian prince.

Instead, she saw nothing.

* * *

Grr? I know, weird ending but it shall be explained.


	12. Chapter 12

I'm not that happy with this chapter. I'm good with romance, not fight scenes. Still, the next few will have little of romance and more technical stuff which will be a bore to write. Besides, I have writer's block... :(

* * *

The mask he wore, both literally and figuratively, had always sent her for a loop. She didn't have the advantage of looking into his angelic eyes and search for the truth; the only thing left for her to do was to hope he would tell her what was wrong. With Robin, that was often a long shot. She hoped this wouldn't be one of those times.

The guests had left the Palace, leaving the room strangely quiet with the echoes of what had once been lingering in the air. She had walked over to him, hands clasped in front of her nervously as she tried to explain. She muttered a few apologies, a few explanations but she trailed off as he looked at her blankly, offering nothing at all. By then, the other Titans had come to meet them, wanting answers as well. Yet, Starfire's face fell as Robin's remained unmoved, looking at her with no feeling whatsoever. He seemed to be in shock, or perhaps he was just angry but she couldn't tell.

She felt stuck.

Galfore called out for her, his loud voice booming through the room and snapping her out of her trance. She turned reluctantly, tearing her eyes away from Robin to see Galfore walking up to them, a disturbed expression on his face. He looked down on the two, and spoke to them, perturbed,

"I would have expected better from both of you,"

Utterly lost, both Starfire and Robin looked up to him in confusion. He looked at them disappointedly, shaking his head and rubbing his temple with his fingers.

"I asked you to not show your affections for each other so openly and that's the first thing you do," he shook his head tiredly, "most especially since D'or Karras could have seen you."

"Did he?" asked Starfire, slightly panicked at the thought. She let out a relieved sigh as Galfore shook his head, adding,

"I made sure he didn't but the way you two were dancing----Koriand'er, what were you thinking?" he said irritably, looking at her disbelievingly.

"I am sorry, Galfore, I---"

"It was my fault," interjected Robin, his voice unwavering and showing no trace of any emotion, "Caught up in the moment, I guess. Won't happen again."

She kept her glance on Robin a bit too long, enough for another feeling to start bubbling inside of her.

Anger.

He was saying this as if all of it was, indeed, only a 'caught in the moment' deal.

"You should get some rest," said Galfore to the Titans, dismissing them, "It'll be morning soon."

Knowing better than to stay in a battle that was entirely not theirs, the remaining Titans scurried to the exit, saying a quick good night to Star and Robin. After the team left, Robin apologized to Galfore once more and began to leave as well.

Starfire wasn't going to let go of him so easily. She walked after him, stopping only when Galfore grabbed her by her wrists.

"We need to speak," he told her seriously and any other time, Starfire would have worried instantly and remained with Galfore. This was not any other time. She was hurt and angry and she _needed_ to talk to Robin. She nodded at Galfore and told him so. He paused, giving her one of those glances that parents give their children when they need reassurance that the child knows what he or she is doing.

He let her go and watched her run after Robin. Her time was coming to face what she had been running away from for so long.

And he feared for her.

* * *

The hallways of the palace were almost always empty except for the patrolling guards that roamed for intruders every couple of hours. Still, the hallways could be scary places for they were always bathed in shadows; the moon offered as much light as it could but it rarely helped. Still, Koriand'er had grown up here and she knew the place inside out. She knew the shadows to be her companions when she and Komand'er used to sneak out of their chambers to steal some food in the middle of the night or when they decided they wanted to listen in on their parents' conversations.

She found him easily for the shadows were also his companions. She called out his name, the name the mask belonged to. He stopped, unsurprised but did not turn.

"I don't want to talk," he said to her, his voice void of anything that _resembled _emotion. The words were hollow and empty; not even his leader, no-nonsense voice sounded like this.

"There is no other choice," she said coldly and regretted it instantly. She saw his shoulders tense and his fists clench. He continued to walk with Starfire in his wake.

"Robin, why are you acting like this?" she tried again, her voice softer, "It meant nothing. I already told you this!"

He mumbled something but since he wasn't facing her, she didn't quite catch it.

"Robin?" she called out to him again but when she got no response, she pulled out the big guns, "Richard!"

That got his attention.

He turned to her, half of his face hidden by the shadows and the only part she could see was the left part of his mask.

"_I said_, I know! You told me this already,"

"Then--?"

He sighed, throwing his hands up in the air with exasperation.

"I dunno, ok? I'm not even sure why--- But there's something there that doesn't sit right with me."

"Talk to me, then," Koriand'er pleaded with him, coming closer as an effort to drive whatever was bothering out of him.

"I don't want to talk about it," he responded angrily, "How can I talk about it if I don't know what it is."

But she heard the uncertainty in his voice. She caught it instantly and she was certain that he was already re-thinking the thought too.

"Tell me," she pleaded gently, closing the large gap between them and she became bathed in the shadows as well, her eyes glowing softly against the darkness, "It's not jealousy, is it?"

Finally, Koriand'er saw a crease of emotion on his forehead when he looked at her sheepishly.

"A little," he yielded, "but it's more than that."

He looked around, as if trying to find the answers in the walls that surrounded them. His eyes focused on something on Koriand'er's right side, a speck of dust or something intangible. She did not tear her gaze from him to find out.

"It's just that--- something always seems to get in the way," he trailed off, unsure of what he was saying.

"Like Karras?" she helped him, trying to get his gaze to return to her.

"That and---this marriage thing---"

"I told you, Galfore won't let it happen," she insisted adamantly as he finally found his way back to her.

"This time," he said darkly, "But it's there, isn't it? What if, for some forsaken reason, something happens and you need them as allies. How will you get out of that one?"

Sighing loudly, she shook her head, frustrated.

"We'll think of something—"

"No, you see, I can't stay with that feeling," he said, becoming steadily incensed at the thought, "I can't be happy with you one day and find out that you're getting married to some jerk the next," he paused, looking down at the floor to sigh deeply, "and lose you like that."

The way he said it, the way his voice hit those low timbres of sincerity and sadness made her heart break. She could see him struggling to tell her these things; Robin wasn't very good at letting feelings be known, most especially these sorts of feeling that were rooted somewhere in the very depths of his heart. He worked with his mind, fought with his body, but he rarely did things with his heart. Up until she came along, anyway.

She didn't know what to tell him, mainly because what he said was plausible. He planted those uncertain thoughts in her head as well and though she tried to dislodge her brain from these thoughts to give him comfort, she found that she couldn't.

"You've got so many duties here, you know?" he continued slowly, "What's stopping you from staying here and fulfilling them?" he asked suddenly, lifting his head to meet her eyes.

She could answer this question easily.

"This is not my home anymore."

"It is," he retaliated, "You feel more comfortable here than on Earth. You love your people and they love you as well. The pull to stay here is stronger than to return to Earth."

"You don't know that," she assured him point-blank.

"Are you telling me its not?"

"_I'm saying_ there's another pull that keeps me on Earth as well."

"Is it enough?" he asked uncertainly, squinting his eyes at her with suspicion.

"Yes," she said without hesitation.

After a pause, he shook his head before shrugging his shoulders unknowingly.

"It's just---I have this awful feeling that _responsibilities_ will keep us apart. Not villains or evil plots or even my psycho tendencies, you know? It feels like these good times you and I have together will be far and few in between."

"Between what?" she asked, letting her hand search for his and interlace her fingers with his. He looked down at her, her small, graceful hand caught in his big, calloused one.

"Between all the shit that always seems to happen."

Wincing a little at his choice of words, she smiled reassuringly at him. Her eyes crinkled at the ends when she did and the light they gave off was more than comfort to him.

She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a kiss on the side of his neck. For his part, Richard buried his face in her hair, smelling the sweet scent that was only hers as he put his arms around her possessively. They stood like that for a few seconds, letting him press her curves against his body and trying to get as much of her as he possibly could.

But with her pressed up against him, he felt the crest around her neck push against him as well, painfully digging into his bare chest as he tried to hold on to her for as long as he could.

When she pulled away, she told him that Galfore needed to speak to her and so she gave him a kiss, albeit a little too passionately for the moment, but managed to pull herself off him before it got _too_ heated. He watched her walk away and sighed. The act made him wince and he looked down in surprise to his bare chest where the crest of the prince had made an incision that started to throb painfully. A thin trickle of blood ran down, drying up instantly but leaving its trail behind for him to ponder at. He turned and walked back to his chambers, not knowing what to feel and for the first time in a long, long time, he felt at a total loss.

* * *

"The time has come to speak to the Gordanians," Galfore started, facing Koriand'er as they talked, his voice deep and grave. Already, Koriand'er felt nervous. There was a trickle of fear that ran up her spine and would not let her be.

"They will come here and we will meet them in the War Room. There, we will hold a conference to set a time and date for the Sond'heir and talk out any---kinks."

She nodded at him, the alarm evident on her face. Still, she told him she was ready for what would come and figured that she was not lying. She _had_ to be ready. She had no other choice.

"What will we talk about specifically?" she asked, trying to get her head around the whole ordeal. She couldn't the idea that they were making plans for her final breaths of life. _Stop being so melodramatic, she told herself angrily, everything will turn out fine. She wouldn't die but she would kill. Again._

"Merely of the time and place but we will make sure they do not cheat us on _anything_. You know how they are."

She nodded gravely, letting out a bark of humorless laughter. She knew exactly how they were and she let her mind wander to those days when the stink of Gordanians had filled her nostrils and her very pores, letting her reek of the nasty, disgusting odors of sweat, blood, and dirt.

"They will not try to damage you," continued Galfore and Koriand'er snapped out of her trance, slightly guilty at the fact she had 'zoned in' on him, "You are too valuable. Even if your opponent has the upper hand, the Gordanians will not let any damage come to you. No doubt that whoever will be fighting against you is less important that you are."

Though she didn't like to hear it, he had a point. They had gone through all this trouble to find her only to have her be killed on her chance for freedom? No, they would change the rules. Whether she liked it or not, her two only options were to be freedom or enslavement. Remembering her days as a slave, she would have gladly taken death any day.

"And when will the training commence?" she asked her G'norfka, her fingers playing with the ends of her hair.

"Early tomorrow," he told her and chuckled as she groaned tiredly, "So I suggest you get some sleep, Koriand'er."

Nodding, Koriand'er stood up, slamming her fist against her chest as her sign of respect for her Ruler and then gave him a bone crushing hug as a sign of love for her care-taker.

"What will the Titans do meanwhile?" she asked him as they walked out the room, side by side.

"They could always stay in the palace, walk around, wander the courts," he looked at her pointedly, "Or they could watch you train."

"They could do that?" she asked him, surprised at the idea.

"Of course," said Galfore with a smile, "These aren't the trials of Okkara anymore, little one."

She smiled, letting her hands come together in front of her. Robin would love to see how Tamaranians fight, she thought happily and as if reading her thoughts, Galfore spoke about the same particular person she was thinking about.

"I gather you and Robin have gotten quite close to each other, yes?"

Blushing mildly, she nodded and could not stop the smile that spread across her face.

"We are truly sorry for our indiscretion," she added quickly but the smile wouldn't leave her, her thoughts kept going to where his hands had been and all the places they had roamed----

"Huh?" she said dumbly, blinking her foggy eyes to get back to the conversation with Galfore.

"It is all right," Galfore pardoned, "You G'norfka is not old enough to forget how it feels like to be in love. It is as if the monopods have stretched out their carves and inserted them into the pop aliases."

Starfire giggled at his example and agreed wholeheartedly. She couldn't have said it better herself.

* * *

She had trusted Galfore to tell the Titans of her whereabouts the next day and to extend the invitation for them to see her train. The Titans had simultaneously agreed to watch her, not feeling comfortable in the big palace without her company.

Dressed in the type of clothes for honorary guests, they made their way down to the underground chambers of the palace. It was still early in the morning; they had just finished eating a great breakfast when they heard about the session from Galfore. They had been unsettled when Starfire had not joined them during breakfast and Galfore saw their distress. He informed them of the situation and watched relief come into their eyes.

The stairs were long and steep all the way down to the training chambers. They felt as if they had been walking for miles and they were sure they were going to hit the core of the planet any time soon. The only rooms at the very bottom were those for training but by far, they were the most incredible rooms the Titans had ever seen. There were only three but there was one made especially for Starfire. Galfore did not inform them why nor did they ask. They believed it to be part of the Royal treatment to have your own special training room.

The kra'klan, as the Tamaranians called it, was a large dome shaped room with a protective glass wall between the battle floor and two rows of seats. The battle floor was a hard terrain, looking like the desert of the planet itself, and the room made for the battle was large. The dome was very elevated from the ground and it was very wide as well; perfect for hard battle.

After waiting a while and listening to Beast Boy ask for popcorn several times, two muscular old men walked into the field. They began inspecting it with a few glances here and fro before deciding it was ready. Galfore had gone to talk to Starfire all the while but promised to return before she battled, to explain a few things to the Titans.

While the Titans talked amongst themselves, Galfore had given his wisdom to his Bongorf, soothing her nerves with kind words.

"At least these aren't the trials of Okaara," she joked hesitantly but one look at the men she would be fighting made her wish she hadn't said it. It was training, after all, so she wasn't expecting harsh training. Perhaps they would brush up on the basics but Galfore quickly advised against such thinking when she voiced her feelings.

"You are a princess," he told her, "they will be expecting great things from you."

"But Galfore," she cried out, a little scared at the thought of battling with Tamaranians, "I have forgotten some of my training with the lords---"

She didn't get to finish as she got ushered by the woman in charge of the gear. She sighed loudly as she was moved from one room to the other. This one contained all the battle gear one would need. Even though Tamaranians had incredible strength and the ability to fly, they knew that very few had these abilities. So to make fights fair, they also trained with swords and other weapons which, she guessed as they began dressing her in battle gear and handed her a sword, is what she would be doing today.

Galfore had returned to the Titans and Starfire was ready for battle. She stepped through the metal gates and into the field, her eyes nervously going to her friends. She tried to smile at them but couldn't muster one. Her eyes shifted to the two lords in front of her and slammed her fist to her chest. They repeated her actions and stood, side to side, facing her and giving her instructions. The Titans watched with expectant and nervous eyes as Starfire nodded and one of the lords left.

"This training is merely with weapons," Galfore informed them, his eyes on the field, "Koriand'er never had any trouble with weapons," Galfore turned to the Titans and smiled, "I guess you knew that, though."

Robin shook his head, letting Raven answer Galfore.

"We do not use weapons when we fight," she told him, a little unsure of his reaction, "We only use our powers and whatever battle techniques Robin teaches us."

"You have no weapons training on Earth?" he asked with extreme surprise, giving Koriand'er a worried glance.

"There is," interjected Robin, "We just chose not to use that type of battle gear."

"More like everyday objects," mumbled Cyborg to Beast Boy, "Cars, buildings,---you name it, we throw 'em!"

Galfore said nothing but turned to watch Starfire get into a stance. The man was old but one could not tell if not for his lusterless hair and gnarly hands. His muscles were well defined still and his body was still in great condition. He held a sword in his hand, elegantly carved handle and the metal was a shiny blue, a metal unknown to those on Earth. Starfire had the same weapon on her but held it differently. While the man held his with the very tip facing her, Starfire had hers reversed, holding it on her right hand with the tip pointed her back. There was a cry from somewhere on the side and the battle seemed to have begun.

The man came at her, slowly and deliberately, like a predator seeking his prey. Starfire did nothing more than keep her eyes on him, walking in circles around the man and looking straight into his eyes. The man, after a small while, finally came close enough to jump at her, raising his sword above his head and made the move to slam the sword down upon her with all his weight. Yet, at the very last possible moment, his body jerked entirely in an impossible manner and the sword was suddenly down at his side, coming at Starfire from the bottom. Starfire seemed to be prepared for this move, though and merely pulled sword from her previous position to block the assault. Her eyes never left his body and her own body was prepared to respond to the sudden positions.

The man slid his sword from beneath hers, letting a loud piercing screech escape as the two metals rubbed together. Starfire squinted at the sound but that small second of indiscretion caused her to miss the next move the man made. With a great agility, the man crouched and swung his leg in a circular position, bring Starfire down. She fell on her back and her eyes quickly searched fro him once more. She found him near her head, the sword pointed at her face and her eyes widened as he tilted the sword and slashed it at her. She rolled to her side, avoiding the tip and feeling for her own sword. Her sweaty hands found it and used it to block his next move. She was now on her knees, sword to sword with the man and looking up at him. The man shouted something in Tamaranian and Starfire swallowed.

She couldn't find a way to hit him; there was absolutely no opening. Sensing her hesitation, the man found an open spot: her ribcage was exposed as she blocked his sword with her own and gave her a hard side kick, sending her sprawling on the floor once more. She groaned, her hand grasping the offended place and heard the growl that escaped her lips. Her eyes, watery from the pain, suddenly focused on the man who was, yet again, on the attack. He swung the sword very low on the ground to catch her legs but Starfire jumped backwards, her flexibility showing to the best. Sword held by her right hand on her side, she lunged at him, swinging it from her right to her left, trying to confuse him. The man was not impressed and easily countered her attack. However, she managed to raise her leg high enough to kick his shoulder, leaning back a little for support. The man was momentarily incapacitated by the kick and Starfire took the opportunity to lunge at him once more. Still, the man was able to deflect her attacks by jumping out of the way or simply moving his body to the opposite direction.

IT occurred to Starfire that it had been a long time since she had held a Tamaranian sword and she marveled how strange it was to try to fight with one again. Once, the sword had been her best weapon. She and it had been one. But now, it felt heavy and crude in her hands. She couldn't get in for an attack no matter what she tried. The sword merely moved by her command. It didn't move _with _her as it once had done.

Infuriated, she started losing focus, trying to get in a hit. The man knew this by now and with three quick steps, her sword fell from her hands and unto the ground for the second time. She looked at the man in defeat as he raised his hand for the battle to stop. After a moment, he began speaking, his voice harsh and almost violent as he told her faults and her errors. Starfire merely stood there, not knowing what to do but listen to her teacher and let him correct her. Not only was she ashamed that she was failing but also that her friends were watching her fail and most importantly, Robin might be ashamed that she couldn't manage to fight with a mere sword.

For their part, the Titans were the very impressed. The moves had been quick and even they had to strain to catch every move the man had made. Robin was looking at the teacher in a strange awe as he leaned forward on his seat. The man moved seamlessly, his movements were jerky but controlled and his concentration was far more evident than Starfire's.

While Robin knew Starfire could be a worthy adversary, he never knew she had the agility (and flexibility, he noted) to move so quickly. The only thing that seemed to be bothering her is that she was uncertain of herself.

The fight started again and this time, the man was talking while they fought, a few words barked here and there. The swords clashed one more time and once more, Starfire found herself on the floor, the man's weight on top of hers and the sword headed straight for her. She counter-blocked it and wrapped her legs around his waist, lifting him up into the air and throwing him above her. With the agility of a cat, she threw herself backwards immediately after him and landed on top of him, her sword pointed straight on his neck.

The man shouted something but this time, Starfire smiled. She got off him and assumed beginning position again. Her limbs appeared looser, her hand grasped the sword firmly, and her eyes had focused more on the man. Suddenly, her attacks were more vicious, her hits more accurate, and she jumped and swung all over the place with an unbeatable flexibility. She had her teacher cornered more than once and had managed to point the sword at his throat on several occasions, which seemed to be winning spot for them.

Before they knew it, the day had passed and the training was called to a stop. Starfire bowed at her teacher and retreated behind the gates while the Titans excitedly went to eat. Starfire would join them this time and they were eager to discuss her training with her. They felt as if they had just watched the best martial arts movie and Cyborg and Beast Boy kept repeating that they no longer needed a DVD player; they had Starfire to entertain them now. Even Raven commented on how far her legs could stretch which made Robin do a double take for he had been thinking about it too.

A weary looking Starfire joined them, dressed in a knee length skirt and what looked to be a meager bra. She bore a couple of bruises and scratches here and there but otherwise, she looked great. Her skin had a healthy glow to it and the smile on her face made them all smile back. Yes, even Raven.

"Whoo, girl, that was stupid!" Cyborg said excitedly, adding quickly, "In the good way, obviously."

By now, she was used to not understanding what some of Cyborg's expressions meant but she knew they never meant anything mean so she smiled and thanked him wholeheartedly.

"That was like, 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, man!" added Beast Boy animatedly, punching the air in imitation of her own battling.

"Hey," Beast Boy said suddenly, "why didn't you use your powers during the battle? You could have knocked that guy out in no time!"

Raven sent him a disapproving glare for calling such a master of battle 'that guy' but let it go to hear Starfire's response.

"I was not allowed. We first battle without the assistance of powers so we can fine tune our reflexes on the ground."

"Besides," Galfore added, "One never knows if one might have to fight without powers. We prepare ourselves for everything."

"Is this going to be an every day thing?" asked Raven, looking a bit uncomfortable still at the prospect o using hands to eat. She scooped a bit of food in her palm and tried to eat it as sophisticatedly as she could.

"I'm afraid so," answered Starfire, starting on her own plate, "but I should be done around this time and you could always come watch."

The table fell silent as they continued to eat and the sounds of plates and goblets filled the room.

It would be Galfore who broke the silence and it was not with good news.

"I have been told that the Gordanians want us to meet with them," he said quietly, "Tomorrow night."

* * *

Dun Dun Dun...I guess. Check out my profile for some extra info on some stuff...please review as well. Means a lot and helps th dreaded writer's block. 


	13. Chapter 13

_The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year._

_-Voltaire_

Starfire could not sleep that night. The very thought of meeting with the Gordanians send shivers up her spine. She wished she wouldn't have to do it and in wishing that, she continued to hope that they would simple realize she's not worth all the trouble and let her go. Maybe they would threaten her a little, call her the disgusting names they had called her so many times before, and then let her go.

Yeah…..

The chances of that happening were the same chances she had to understand Beast Boy's chicken jokes.

So she tumbled and tossed in her bed, trying to find a comfortable position but every position had something wrong with it. Her leg fell asleep when she slept on her side, her back hurt as she slept face up, and then her neck hurt when she turned face down. She tried listening to the soothing sounds of the citris rubbing against each other outside but even the piercing whistles they made did not comfort her enough to let her rest.

Here it was, the moments in the middle of the night where she was forced to think about thing she desperately pushed back in her mind.

There was a small hole in her ceiling, a hole similar to the one she had used to spy on her mother when she met with her lover in her chamber. Her lover had not been Tamaranian and so, their love had to be more of a secret than any other royals' romance had ever been. Like Starfire had told her friends, having a lover on the side was not taboo at all. But to have a lover that is not your own race certainly was, most especially when the first born of the Queen on Tamaran had been a hybrid of two different nations.

But when she watched through the small hole of her bedroom to the chambers where they met, she could never again hold anything against her mother. There was no disdain, no contempt, or hatred. Between her mother and her lover, there was a connection unlike anything else Starfire had seen in her young life. Starfire would watch as the man, quite handsome and rugged looking, would hold her mother in his arms for a long time, caressing her hair and whispering in their own language as she let herself be overcome by the strong arms around her. She would look up to him, eyes bright and full of love, to kiss him with such passion that made Starfire blush. She never looked away, though. She was always too in awe for the feelings between her mother and her lover. Even back then, at the tender age of eight, Starfire understood just how powerful emotions could be. They could build you up to something magnificent and glorious and then bring you to your knees in a single swoop. It made you feel invincible only to show you just how vulnerable you really are.

Her mother had known this and had died with this in her heart. Starfire had never known her mother as well as Komand'er had but if there was ever something Starfire understood about her mother, it was this.

Komand'er had been the greatest older sister anyone could have ever asked for. Even at an early age, she had possessed great wisdom that graced only those who had experienced many things in their life. In Komand'er's short life, she had gone through things that Starfire could never figure out. Because of that, she often would get that look in her eyes, the same look their mother had, and wander around as if trying to find something she had lost. She had been shunned from her own family, her own people, and her own planet because of different traits. Starfire could never figure out why her sister had been so hated, at least, until she understood the fear that lived in so many for the unknown and the different. She possessed everything else a Tamaranian possessed, flight and incredible strength, but unfortunately it had been her appearance that gave her heritage away. Komand'er had witnessed the short-sightedness of her people and made that her strength, making sure to keep that feeling locked inside her heart so when it came out, it would come out in a fury. Still, Komand'er had always looked after her sister, making sure she didn't get the same treatment but she needn't worry, of course, for Starfire had been born the perfect Tamaranian, worshipped and loved by all.

It was _that_ which turned Komand'er against her. Starfire was sure of it. No matter how perfect she thought her sister was, Komand'er had so much hatred in her heart that it was only a matter of time before it overcame her. No matter what would have happened, it would have come out nonetheless. The seed of odium and mistrust had been implanted in Komand'er since the day she was born and though Starfire suffered much because of her sister, she never blamed her. Never because Starfire was too kind hearted or a saint; it was because she had seen the loathing burn in her sister's eyes every day and witnessed it grow into a flame until she finally couldn't contain it anymore.

It had _never_ been Komand'er's fault. It had been all the close minded, short sighted, ignorant Tamaranians who feared everything that was different from each other.

_Had she really wanted to rule this planet once? Had she truly felt joy to be among her people after her enslavement?_

No.

Never again would she want that in her life and though she had witnessed the same thing happen on Earth, she felt more comfortable there. Even Earthlings weren't as close minded as Tamaranians.

Besides, as she had told Robin, she had better things to do on Earth and better motives to keep her there. Her friends were one, of course. She could not imagine her life without them; each of them was near and dear to her heart. Cyborg had always been the big brother to all of them but Starfire recognized more to him than he thought. He was almost like Robin, kind hearted but with a will of steel. His body was made of metal but his heart was pure and real, beating for a chance to prove that he was more than a robot. A chance to prove he was still Victor Stone inside all the wires and hard drive. Her heart had literally ached for him when she saw him in the future and she couldn't help the knot that formed in her throat as she remembered her friends, all grown up and miserable to be who they were.

Raven had been the one she hurt for the most. She needed them all, not just because of her powers but because behind the entire hard exterior, she was still human in the interior. No matter if she was the spawn of the devil, a portal for all things evil; she was still a teenage girl who needed as much comfort and love as the next teenage girl. She never wished Raven to be different and she knew the rest of the Titans didn't either. Most especially Beast Boy whom Starfire had noticed had begun to get closer to the Goth girl. They weren't Thelma and Louise but they were close enough. Starfire had always loved Beast Boy for not being afraid of whom he was. While he had shown he could be everything from a beast to a class clown, he was who he was. After Terra, they hadn't _noticed_ a change but he _had_ changed. Gradually, he had matured in more ways than one. Of course, he would always be depended on to joke around when times got tough but they all knew each other well enough to know they each carried a burden on their shoulders and each would deal with it their own way.

Beast Boy chose to joke around.

Starfire continued to rest uneasily. She sighed and gave up, knowing very well she wasn't going to get any sleep that night. So she got up from the bed and crept out of her room, making no noise as she stepped out into the darkness of the hall and tiptoed to open the door a few steps way.

She inched herself into his room and breathed in his scent which seemed to surround his chamber. Knowing better than to wake him gently, she did not fight back the crazy urge she had to jump on him. As always, he was lying on his stomach, his face smashed against the pillow and the soft snoring floated in the air. Starfire let a giggle escape before she jumped on him, squealing as she felt him jerk away under her and try to attack her once more. But she used her superhuman strength to keep him down long enough to whisper seductively in his ear,

"Surprise."

"You again?" he joked tiredly after a moment, the danger immediately gone and his muscles relaxed under her.

"Thanks," she said sarcastically, "real nice, Richard."

"You're the one who thinks attacking me in the middle of the night is funny," he retorted drowsily, flopping back against this pillow, "Gonna give me a heart attack one of these days."

Starfire spluttered disbelievingly, jumping up and down on his bed, like an excited child. Truth was, she felt herself fill with energy all of a sudden and there was nothing she could do let it out. What better person to solve that problem that Richard himself?

"_What _is this earthquake that came into my room?" asked Richard, giving her a weary glare from in between the mess of jet black hair that fell on his face.

"I don't know what is wrong with me but I feel all full of energy and oomph!" she stated breathlessly, shaking him awake once more, "Play with me, Richard."

The moment the words left her lips, she lit up like a jack-o-lantern on Halloween night. Even Richard, who was trying to smash his face in the pillow and try to catch some remnant of sleep had jerked awake at her words and given her an odd look.

"Well, if you're going to ask so nicely…" he trailed off teasingly, his nimble fingers reaching for her arm at once. She squirmed out of the way, still bright in the face, and scolded him for being so perverted.

"Hey, I'm not the one who extended the invitation!"

She crawled back to him, smiling and kissed his cheek quickly.

"Let's go out," she whispered to him, as if the room was filled with people and they had a secret to share.

"Out where?" he asked incredulously, "It's freezing outside."

Starfire shrugged her shoulders, her eyes getting brighter and brighter as she spoke.

"Anywhere. There are warm clothes in the dresser and anyway, it's not that cold. It's the same temperature Earth gets when its winter."

"Yeah..." said Richard slowly, "But we live in California. The coldest it's ever gotten is, like, sixty or something…"

Koriand'er pouted, the light dimming in the dark. With a strong, sudden sense of anxiety, Richard quickly spoke, almost afraid to see the light in her eyes go out.

"Give me a second, then. All right?"

He gave a relieved sigh as the warmth spilled back into her eyes and went to change, well aware that Koriand'er was still in the room. He rarely slept without clothes and back at the Tower, he had always slept with his uniform on. But here, he donned on the baggy pants and went to sleep half undressed, feeling strange at the notion that he did not have to worry about waking up in the m idle of the night to fight villains. Now, the only thing he had to worry about was an over-excited Tamaranian girl jumping on him while he slept and making delectable temptations to play with her.

He put on what seemed to be an oversized shirt but the fabric was undeniably warm and comfortable. The pants were the same way so he didn't have to worry about taking _those_ off in front of her. Once he was ready, he sighed and turned back to look at her. She was staring at him with a smile on her face and made a motion for him to come to her. He willingly followed her instructions and stood in front of her. She was still sitting on the edge of the bed and as he neared, she looked up to him with a satisfied look on her face.

"Ready?" he asked her quietly and she nodded. She stood up, taking in the sight of him and he took her breath away. He smiled at her, her own mischievousness had infected him as well, and he felt like his old self again. No longer did he feel like Robin, sidekick of the great Batman and leader of the Titans nor did he feel like Richard Grayson, possible heir to the Wayne billions and orphan of the circus. He felt like she had awakened another part of him which he had not felt in such a long time. He felt giddy, like when he used to practice with his parents on top of the trapeze or when he felt the air hit him as he swung from bar to bar, fearless of the huge gap between he and the ground.

He turned around and offered her his back. She paused for a moment, unsure of what he was asking. After a second or so, she took the thick sheets from his bed and climbed on his back, a little surprised at his actions. He pulled her against him and settled her before walking out the door, exaggerating every move he made.

"What are the sheets for?" he asked quietly, bopping her up and down with each move he made.

"You'll see," she told him mysteriously to which he hummed at before quickly sticking his head around the corridor to check if anyone was coming. He signaled to his eyes, then ears, and wiggled his eyebrows to which he continued his embellished movement.

"You've been watching too many Bond movies," she whispered to him in his ear and she _felt_ the chuckle before it reached her ears.

"We have to move slowly," he whispered to her, his eyes darting to and fro, "Or we might be caught by Dr.Evil."

She pondered this for a minute and concluded who Dr.Evil was. Beast Boy had annoyed Raven endlessly with his great rendition of 'the evil laugh.' It had earned it a couple of slaps but victory was his at last when Raven chuckled as he choked half way of his guffaws. But that was a different movie, was it not?

"Isn't Dr.Evil----"

"Shh…" he whispered, for real this time when he heard two or three guards make their way toward the corridor they were on. They looked around and found a small opening in the corridor. There was a huge statue in the middle of it but if they squeezed in, they could just fit. The guards slowly made his way through the halls, knowing very well that there was no danger to encounter. The job of guards stopped after the lights dimmed for rarely was there anyone awake after the nightly freeze. Only when there had been children in the palace had the guards had anything to do at this hour. The children used to drive the guards crazy, especially when they split up and decided to fool with them. One would make noise at one part of the corridor while the other used to fly around, making a racket along the way. They liked sneaking around to spy on the adults and steal food from the kitchen which could not happen, of course. They had to keep order and keep the children in line.

Needless to say, that never happened.

So, after the two princesses had been sold to slavery by their parents, the palace had once again calmed down and the guards had settled back into aimlessly roaming around in the huge castle.

How they wished the children would come back.

Koriand'er quickly got off Richard and squeezed herself between the wall and the statue. She made a gesture for Richard to move quickly but he couldn't fit himself in. The guards were getting closer and he was sure he did not want this little game to turn into anything big, especially when he and Kori were just fooling around. He managed to suck in his breath and fit, squeezed between the statue and…..Kori.

"Hi," he whispered shortly, not at all uncomfortable with certain curves and arches pressed against him.

She smiled at him, letting her hands rest on his stomach and felt the breath he sucked in. She stifled a laugh as she began trailing the muscles there, each and every one of them, and couldn't help a small giggle escape her lips when he squeezed his eyes shut as she trailed her fingers lower and lower.

Suddenly, her fingers stopped and their ears perked up. The guards had turned the corner. But they were safe for the moment. The guards would have to squint on an angle to see the two teenagers hiding behind the statue but that did nothing to make Richard and Koriand'er feel any safer.

The guards were talking in Tamaranian and as they walked by, there was a sound of a metal dropping on the floor.

The Tamaranian man cursed softly and asked his friend to help him search. They looked around at first but when they could not find it that way, they let down their weapons and dropped to the floor.

Kori and Richard looked at each other with wide eyes. They were likely to be discovered any minute now. Their foggy minds didn't help the situation out neither. They were way too close to each and every breath they took, the other felt. Their heartbeats joined to make a tribal rhythm with each other and they couldn't take their eyes off one another. And still, the guards came closer.

Richard damned his hormones for thinking such thoughts when they could face serious consequences. Still, Koriand'er wasn't exactly helping. Maybe it was the thrill of _getting_ caught or maybe they were just acting on their hormones, but the excitement had caught onto them and would not let go. Slowly, Koriand'er pressed herself up on him, letting her lips graze the sensitive skin of his neck. She made her way from one side to the other, lingering on his Adam's apple and feeling him squirm as she gently nipped it. Her lips continued downward to his chest, her fingers crawling underneath his shirt and letting them flutter all over. His own body, slow in the reaction, started their own trip on her body. Her turn had come to try to not moan too loudly, not wanting this ardor to get the best of her.

The guard shouted something at his friends and they moved around the small area near the two teenagers. They were getting dangerously close and still in search for the unknown object. The guard got close enough to hear the soft moans Koriand'er elicited but thankfully, they were drowned out by the yell of victory of his fellow guard.

Object found, they gave up the search, picked up their weapons, ad continued on. The yell had startled Kori and forced Richard to stop. They were getting way too excited and it was becoming noticeable by now. For Richard's part, all he could do was moan and rest on her shoulder, letting the smell of her hair linger on him as he tried to calm down. Her own hard breathing wasn't helping at all and neither were her soft whispers of his name as it floated from her plushy lips and into the air, letting the possibilities linger around them.

Once the guards had turned the corner, Richard let out a loud groan, this time out of annoyance and not pleasure. He squeezed himself out of the comfortable position he was in and tried to get his breathing back to normal. Kori wiggled out of her position as well and smoothed the imaginary wrinkles on her white skirt. She tugged the sheets loose from between the statue and wall before smiling innocently at him as she said,

"I guess riding on your back is out of the question, now?"

His look said it all.

She took his hand and led him around the corner, her hair whipping out behind her and shining through the small rays of moonlight that managed to seep through the cracks of the palace. Richard felt good; a feeling so simple he was surprised he could even register it at all. He was content, feeling like there was no place he rather be than with Kori, running around the halls of a palace in a planet far away from his own.

They went up a spiral staircase that seemed to go on forever. Koriand'er and Richard had to stop a couple of times to breathe and giggle, something Robin _never_ did. They kept going up until Kori took his hand and gestured to the window on their right.

"We fly from here," she told him happily and pointed up. Richard nodded at her and took her hand, letting her lift him off the ground and fly outside.

The atmosphere was freezing and it dawned on him why she brought the sheets along with her. They landed on one of the towers of the palace, the highest tower of them all and settled themselves there. The tower wasn't too steep but they were careful nonetheless. There, they lay on the shingles that made up the surface and found them to be comfortable enough. They wrapped themselves in the sheets, cuddling closer for warmth. Their eyes traveled over the sky of Tamaran, so very different from the one on Earth. The skies parted in a sea of magenta and rich purples, with different planets winking at them. Koriand'er's arm poked out from the sheets and pointed at a small green-bluish planet in the far distance.

"You know what planet that is?" she whispered to him though they were far from any other being at the moment. He shook his head at her question, extremely comfortable at the moment. Their hands were joined under the sheet and their legs intertwined with each other. Their heads were very close, close enough for her scent to draft toward his nose and fill his senses with the smell of flowers and incense (though he was sure she didn't use incense sticks).

"That's Earth," she told him and he raised his head to look at it in surprise.

"Really?" he asked to no one in particular, "but it's so…"

"Minute?" Koriand'er finished for him with a smile. He nodded to agree with her as her own eyes returned to the planet.

"Amazing, isn't it? Earth has always seemed like such an enormous planet to me but I think that's because of how many cultures there are in one single planet. In the Vegan System, there is one culture to each planet and different beliefs are seen as a dangerous thing. That's what I love about Earth; you house so many different people, different beliefs, and different societies and manage to live peacefully," she hesitated for a moment, adding as an afterthought, "or at least, peacefully enough."

She sighed happily as she continued to watch the planet through her beautiful, strange green eyes. She pointed to another one, farther away from Earth.

"That one there is where the Psion live," she pointed at another planet, all of them closer to her home planet than Earth, "And that's where the H'San Natall live, a very powerful and evil race."

"How come all of these races are so cruel?" Richard asked in amazement, shaking his head, "I hate to think you grew up in the middle of such madness."

"Well, truthfully, I was too naïve to pay attention to these happenings at that moment. That was the reason why I----" she trailed off uncertainly, letting her voice linger a second too long.

"Why what?" Richard gently nudged, his eyes filling with concern. Koriand'er shook the thought away and went on pointing out the planets but she quickly realized she had lost Richard along the way. With a sigh, he returned his gaze and paused, trying to figure out how to phrase it.

"I was so---protected from these fights between all these realms that when I was---sold, I suffered quite a bit."

She took a look at his face, full of pain for her and waved it away.

"It wasn't totally horrible. I had Komand'er with me."

That did not help him at all. He looked pained to hear that she had been through so much and worse yet, that he did not know about most of it. He trusted that Koriand'er would tell him at the time she deemed was right for her and it was not like he had been completely honest with her anyway. She never asked about his past, at least, not yet. He knew someday she would and hoped that the day was still far off.

Koriand'er decided not to tell him everything that happened to her for the moment. The conversation on her powers was yet to come and she would wait until then. For now, she accepted his caresses and took comfort in his hair tugs. She tried to lead the conversation away from that and succeeded though she knew that it would remain in his head for next time.

He pointed at a random planet and Koriand'er eagerly told him its story, as always full of violent battles and malicious plots.

Suddenly, the winds weren't so cold anymore and the night in Tamaran became more bearable since they had each other to keep themselves warm. After a while, the talking stopped and she settled into him, letting his steady breathing lull her into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The two beings on top of the tower were the first to wake up in the Kingdom of Tamaran. The night, bitter and icy, had melted away into a humid hot morning. Suddenly, the sheets which had given them so much comfort and warmth were suffocating them. They kicked it away and the small effort of doing so made them break into a sweat. Richard quickly took off his shirt and flopped back down, a thin sheet of sweat already covering his body. Taking a leaf out of his book, Koriand'er did the same, leaving only a small, thin undergarment covering her breasts. 

On any other occasions, Richard would have been _beyond_ nervous to see her expose so much unseen skin but he was too hot to even register it. They quickly got their things and floated back into the palace where the walls kept the inside of the castle cool and fresh. They made their way back and Koriand'er told him she probably wouldn't see him until the night. Richard nodded and told her not to worry about them. They would entertain themselves somehow.

"Be careful," he told her seriously, "Galfore will be with you at all times, right?"

She confirmed this and gave him a kiss, one that gave her enough courage and strength to do the very thing she feared.

"You're taking your communicator with you, right?" he asked her worriedly, to which she nodded and told him to stop worrying.

"Sorry," he told her nonchalantly, "Kinda part of the job description."

She laughed, shaking her head.

"As leader?"

Richard scoffed loudly, giving her a 'are you crazy look?'

"As your boyfriend."

She gave him another kiss, one that might have turned into something else if he had not stopped it. She couldn't help herself with him around. He awaked something else in her as well; something more mature in thinking and wishing.

Still, she pried herself from Richard and left him behind as she made her way to her chamber. There, she changed into her battle clothes and went to meet her G'norfka at the main doors of the palace. They would make their way from there to the Gordanian base a few miles away from the palace, to the only Gordanian base on their planet.

The day was especially hot and since she had donned her battle gear, Koriand'er was feeling extremely uncomfortable. Her battle gear was the same outfit she had crashed into Earth with: the black top and skirt, black boots and body armor. Not only was she burning underneath all her clothes but she was terribly nervous at the prospect of facing her capturers. Of course Galfore would be with her at all the while but surprisingly, it did not help. She had seen too many things from them, felt and experienced too many horrors by their hands.

The flight was long and tiring, over the vast deserts of Tamaran and farther to the South than she had ever been to. It became cooler as they flew, probably because this part of the planet was mostly covered in shadows where the sun could not reach.

They entered the Gordanian site and saw instantly that the camp was quite large. It spread across over most of the land there and the rambunctious noise the Gordanians made filled their ears and made Starfire nervous once more.

The Gordanians quickly noticed the two Tamaranians make their way toward them. They met up with the two visitors and saluted them, earning a salute back, and the Gordanians led them to the main camp where they would sit to talk.

Koriand'er faced forward, here head held high and proud, trying not to listen to the growls that the Gordanians elicited from around her. She knew she was not well liked here but did they have to sound as if they were going to murder her at any given moment?

They continued to move forward until they reached a big tent-like house. Inside, it housed three Gordanians, the ones in charge of transmitting merchandize between the Gordanians' home planet to the receiving ones. They had been the ones who had bore most of the fault for her escape and it was they who had searched for Koriand'er. It was they who she extremely knew well for she had spent countless of hours being treated like the scum of the universe by their hands.

Once greetings were exchanged, they settled around a triangular table with the Gordanians at the tips. Koriand'er and Galfore settled themselves next to each other on one of the sides, waiting patiently to start.

"The meeting has been called to reach agreeable terms on which the Tamaranian princess Koriand'er will battle with one of our current slaves for her freedom."

The two Tamaranians agreed to this statement.

The Gordanians had a different syntax to their language so understanding them was one of the hardest things Koriand'er had ever learned. Their language sounded like a bunch of garbles but she did her best to comprehend it.

"It will not be a Gordanian whom you will be fighting," stated the Gordanian, his voice garbled and low, "A slave has already been chosen for you."

"Very well," said Koriand'er with a nod, "And the battle will be held here on Tamaran, I presume?"

She hoped he would agree since she knew she couldn't stand to be too far away from the people she loved. Being here would give her strength but being surrounded by Gordanians would unsettle her too much.

"As you wish," the Gordanian said, the one at the right was the one who spoke the most but to Koriand'er they all looked the same; ugly and crude looking beasts with no distinctive marks.

Koriand'er nodded in agreement and saw that one Gordanian was writing all of the conversation down.

"When will the battle be?" asked the Gordanian, his sharp fingers coming together on the table.

The two Tamaranians looked at each other with questioning looks on their faces. They had expected the Gordanians to bark out whatever they wanted and for Galfore or Koriand'er to refute or agree. Never had they expected the Gordanians to leave decisions to the offending side.

"As soon as possible," answered Koriand'er, her eyes rising to meet theirs. They nodded, looking pleased and said,

"By the next crescent moon, then."

Koriand'er nodded, calculating the days quickly and figured she had five days, tops, to train. It wasn't bad at all. She wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, anyway.

"What is the decree Koriand'er must know about?" asked Galfore, his eyes settling on the Gordanians.

"Simple. She kills the slave and she wins her freedom. You will not have to worry about us any longer," he paused to smile but it looked as is he was baring his teeth at her, "for the moment, of course."

Frowning with distaste, she spoke calmly,

"That is all?"

"Of course. What else would there be?"

She narrowed her eyes at the Gordanians, not liking the smug look on their faces. A look of victory.

"What of me?" she asked them.

"You, princess?" The Gordanians chuckled darkly at her.

"What are you planning?" she asked angrily, getting heated by the moment. Her nerves were on end and the whole meeting was too simple for the likes of Gordanians. Besides, if she died in battle, they would lose a valuable weapon, one they worked hard to create.

"If the other slave wants her freedom so bad, she will kill you. That is all there is to it."

Koriand'er narrowed her eyes at them.

"You would be losing an incredible weapon," she said, adding pointedly, "an expensive one at that."

"You are not the only one we created," the Gordanian reminded her and it was enough to shut Koriand'er up.

"Do we agree to these terms?" the Gordanian asked. Galfore sought Koriand'er out but she was too lost in her own thoughts to say anything. He took matters into his own hands and after thinking about it, he agreed, making sure to announce that is Koriand'er, in fact, killed the slave, she would be free of the title of a Gordanian or Citadelian slave. The Gordanians agreed to these conditions and they signed the papers, saluted each other, and were dismissed. All of this went by unnoticed by Koriand'er who became lost in her own world. As they walked out of the camp, the night had just begun and if they flew quickly, they could make it home in time before the nightly freeze.

Galfore did not speak to her on their flight back; he knew exactly what she was thinking of for it was the very thing he had on his mind as well.

Koriand'er had not been the only weapon created….

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

In case I have not said this before (which is very likely) this story is a LONG one. Starfire's Tamaranian problem is just grazing the beginning of my story. I mean, I'm taking this all the way into NightWing and the very far future. Its my first long project (though my Mononoke trilogy could be declared that as well...) so if you plan to read the rest, get ready for a _long _ride.

To those who guessed the first plot of the story, a cookie is waiting for you. YAY!

* * *

_**Sisters never quite forgive each other for what happened when they were five.**_

_**Pam Brown**_

The Titans had done nothing but mope around the castle, unsure of where they could go or what they could do. They spend most of t heir time outside, where the weather was warm but bearable enough. While Raven tried to read and Beast Boy tried to get her to play with him, Cyborg had been given the chance to see how the Tamaranians' weapons worked. Due to their natural super strength, few Tamaranians needed weapons but whatever weapons they did have, they were phenomenally advanced in every way and to Cyborg, this was a chance of a lifetime. Robin, for his part, passed the day worrying about Starfire and trying to enjoy the bickering between his two remaining friends. When Beast Boy got tired of hearing Raven threaten him with sticking long materials up certain sensitive areas of his body, he left her alone for the time being and entertained himself with other things.

Raven flopped down next to Robin and sighed.

"Giving you hell, huh?" he asked good-naturally to which Raven rolled her eyes toward the sky with a frustrated groan.

"He won't leave me be," she said tiredly, "I can't think of any more mean things to do to him," she added unbelievably, "Isn't that ridiculous?"

Robin shrugged.

"Maybe you're just getting used to him," he offered. Raven scoffed and set her book in her lap.

"As if."

Their eyes remained on Beast Boy as he played around with the other alien animals. He seemed to be having a lot of fun trying to change into them and actually succeeding, to his great surprise.

Raven, her eyes still on the changeling, spoke quietly.

"Still worried?"

Robin chuckled instantly. She knew him too well.

"It's become a habit," he joked, feeling her gaze return to him.

"I don't think she's really thought all of this through," said Raven slowly, pondering every word, "She knows what she must do and even though she dreads it, there's something in her that is…different but I can't really tell what it is."

Robin nodded his unfocused eyes staring at something on the floor.

Raven continued,

"Her race is a warrior race so I think she might be used to all of this but still…" she trailed off once more, shaking her head, "Ever since I trained her to keep her emotions in check, she's been really closed off lately."

Robin's eyes instantly snapped back, blinking a few times before turning to Raven.

"Why _did_ you start teach her?" he asked her curiously.

Raven smile sheepishly, something she didn't do too often.

"Her feelings are always so strong; they almost overpower me when she's around. When she found this out—well, you know how she is, she did everything she could to make me feel more comfortable. To tell you the truth, I kinda miss having her intensity in the air. It was…comforting."

She chuckled roughly and looked to the floor.

"We all try not to think about it but as time goes by, we get really frightened at the prospect of something happening to her."

"Nothing will happen to her," Robin responded instantly, almost automatically, "She can take care of herself and if anything happens, whatever it may be, we'll be there to help her."

Raven smiled darkly at him.

"And what? Have her forfeit the battle? She'll become a slave again by default."

Robin shrugged, his eyes rolling carelessly.

"We'll hide her," he said confidently though that was the last emotion he felt at the moment.

As for Raven, she sighed resignedly, knowing well that Robin was just as clueless about the whole situation and a lot more frightened by the prospect of something happening to the beautiful alien.

"I'm scared for her," Raven admitted suddenly, her voice low and deep and extremely sincere.

"So am I," Robin said just as quietly.

Raven turned to her fearless leader questionably, dreading to ask the question that had been haunting her for some time now.

"Would the Titans stay together without her?"

Robin was caught off guard by the question and hesitated before answering. Truth was, Starfire had been the one to travel into the future and if anyone knew the answer to that question, it Starfire herself. However, he was willing to give his own opinion on it.

"Probably not," he answered her truthfully, "We all bring something into the team, something that makes us stay together, but Starfire…. She was the _reason_ why we became the Titans. If she hadn't dropped from the sky like she did, would we have met at all?"

"I don't know and I don't want to find out, either," said Raven with a humorless chuckle.

"Me neither," responded Robin grimly.

"She's so different from you, though. She's annoyingly sweet and really kind-hearted and she rarely gets as upset as you do. Not to mention she laughs a lot more than any of us and to tell you the truth, her laugh is kinds infectious. Kinda hard to not fall for your perfect opposite, huh?" Raven ended teasingly.

Robin raised an eyebrow at her, looking at her with a curious expression on his face.

"Are _you_ falling for her?"

"Real funny, _Dick_," she deadpanned back, letting his abbreviated name roll out her tongue with malice.

"Not so loud---"

Raven scoffed but the teasing intent was still behind her violet eyes.

"Have you told her yet?"

"'Bout my name?" he asked dim-wittedly, straining to hear Raven's answer over the loud roar emitted by Beast Boy as he turned into a floogerbub, a large worm like animal that lived under the ground of the garden.

"Yes, oh smart one," she said impatiently.

"Yeah, she knows."

"And everything else?"

Robin frowned as he looked dead ahead, a small line creasing his forehead as he thought of how to explain it to Raven. For her part, she knew better than to bother him while he thought his response to her so she amused herself by looking at Beast Boy's changing forms.

"No," he said finally, "One reason is that she hasn't asked," he started and paused to keep thinking for a second before speaking once more, "and even if she did, she knows it's hard for me to talk about my life, no matter how much I care about her or how much she cares about me."

He turned to look at Raven pointedly, a lopsided grin on his face.

"_You_ found out because you sneaked in my head," he raised his hands defensively as she angrily started to defend herself, "I don't blame you, relax, I'm just saying. But out of all people, maybe it was best you found out first. You and I are joined by this and out of the entire team, you are the one who understands the most about my past."

"'Cause I'm just as dark, dreary, and messed up as you are?" she asked aloofly and thanked him sarcastically as he nodded his head shamelessly and agreed whole-heartedly with her.

"Thanks," she told him darkly, "I'm honored. On the same note, if Starfire asks you, would you tell her?"

This time, Robin did not hesitate for he found no reason to.

"Of course. I know she'll be there for me, no matter what. She'll redeem me for everything bad I've ever done, even if I don't deserve it and she's saved me from my own darkness countless of times. Sometimes, I think to myself if there's anything I've done for her but I usually come up blank," he smiled at no one in particular, "I'm pretty lucky."

There was a pause and then…

"Ugh!" Raven responded disgustedly, "You guys are so saccharinely sweet. Please, spare me all the romantic, sugary babble. A simple yes would have sufficed."

Robin chuckled.

"Sorry. Got carried away. The inner romantic in me, you know?"

"Next time you feel like _that_'s happening, warn me in advance so I can just shut you out. By the way, I think the string quartet that was playing in the background during your little speech there _just_ got diabetes from all of your 'inner romantic' syrupy words."

"Real nice, Raven," said Robin cynically, "Just for that, I'm going to call Beast Boy over and tell him _someone_ wants to play with him…"

"Dare to try and you will find yourself with no 'family jewels', do you understand?" she said threateningly and coming from Raven, that was saying something. Robin was too used to her, though, and laughed easily.

"Ohh Beast Boy…"

Slap.

"Ow!!"

* * *

Starfire went straight to her chambers, not wanting to talk to anybody or see anything. She flopped herself on her bed and ignored the rapping on her door. Galfore's voice stopped calling out her name and she was finally at peace. In some sense, anyway. Inside, she was a battlefield of emotions. 

She knew what was happening and she would have bet anything in her world to say that Galfore knew as well. She buried her head in between her arms and sighed deeply. Her mind was racing and for a moment, she thought to herself that maybe, just _maybe, _it was not who she thought it was. The Gordanians kept hundreds of slaves at a time and she would be way too clever to be caught by them. Galfore himself had said she had escaped…but he had also said that he did not believe this excuse. Could it be that the Gordanians had broken her out of jail?

"Komand'er," whispered Koriand'er, breathlessly and anxiously. She knew, right there and then, that her life had just taken an unexpected turn and that her future had become more uncertain. Koriand'er could conjure up the energy to fight a slave, a total stranger who had nothing to do with her. Koriand'er would regret it as long as she lived, yes, but she could do it. Fighting her own sister was a different matter.

When Komand'er had first come to Earth and tried to send Koriand'er to jail, she had become upset enough to fight her own blood. However, Koriand'er had not gone as far as to battle her with outright ferocity and hatred. Instead, she felt indignant that her sister would do something like that to her so she saw no other choice but to apprehend her. Koriand'er had felt terrible to know that she had given her sister more to be sad about but most of all, she felt hurt that Komand'er still felt such a strong aversion toward her. She had hoped that, after sharing all those awful experiences with the Gordanians, it would have brought them closer. In fact, during their short conversations through their relays, they were quite civil to each other; one might even call it friendly.

She had obviously thought wrong.

Then her 'betrothal' pushed her over the edge. She would not have Tamaran ruled over by a psychotic empress. If there was ever a time she felt anything _close_ to hatred for her sister, it was then. Komand'er did not even try to hide her dislike for Koriand'er as she mercilessly thrashed her around the palace. As for Koriand'er, she had also let her powers loose as well as her emotions. She tried to keep it about one thing and that was what was best for Tamaran. But really, her emotions had gotten the best of her and she accepted the fact she would have to fight her sister, for the crown, and did with a sense of a thrill.

That was not supposed to happen. Not between sisters, not when they had been so close once, and loved each other so much. It had been one small mistake on Koriand'er's part to set the whole relationship awry and there was not a single day she did not regret this.

Faced with the possibility of killing her sister or getting killed by her hand, Koriand'er moaned loudly and felt the tears perk behind her eyes.

She didn't know what to think to what to do. What _did _someone do under these circumstances?

She decided the best thing for her was to lock herself in the room and cry.

She did.

* * *

The Titans heard that the Emperor of Tamaran had returned and they eagerly went to meet him at the Grand Room. But he wasn't there. They waited for a while, eager and nervous to find out what had been decided between Star and the Gordanians. They sat around for a long while and just when Robin couldn't take it anymore and got up to find out what was taking so long, Galfore entered the room, looking exhausted. The Titans settled around the table, wondering why Starfire wasn't there and waited for Galfore to begin. 

He took his time, looking around them carefully. Instantly, the Titans knew there was no good news to come.

"The Gordanians," started Galfore, "have accepted all our terms. The battle will be in a couple of days, on the next crescent moon to be exact and in these upcoming days, Koriand'er will train as much as possible."

The Titans nodded in response, finding nothing wrong. Yet.

"She will be able to use her powers to the fullest extent and if she wins the battle, she gains her freedom."

"But…" trailed Raven expectantly, wanting to know what was so wrong with the picture.

"Why isn't Star here?" asked Cyborg suddenly, expecting her to come in any minute but when she didn't, he got worried.

"Koriand'er has decided to rest for the evening," said Galfore carefully, wording his sentence carefully, "As for Lady Raven's question, I am afraid that is something Koriand'er must answer herself."

"What have you found out?" Robin asked scrutinizingly, knowing Koriand'er would not leave her teammates worried about her like this.

"As I have said," Galfore repeated tiredly, "This is something Koriand'er must tell you. I have no right to inform you of business that are hers."

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Raven asked and when Galfore shook his head, she excused herself from the table. She leaned in to speak quietly with Robin and walked away, leaving the Titans confused behind.

Raven needed to have a heart-to-heart talk with Starfire.

* * *

"It's me, Star," 

Knock, knock.

"Star, I know you're there!"

_Knock, knock._

A growl was heard before the familiar ring of Raven's powers as she phased through the wall of the room. There, the black shadow transformed into Raven but Starfire did not even look up. She was lying on her bed, face down and her head hanging off the mattress, her long hair cascading all the way down and creating a red pool on the floor.

She mumbled something but Raven couldn't understand it so she rolled her eyes and walked over to her. She squinted her eyes at the young alien girl.

"Don't you get a headache lying like that?"

Another mumble and another sigh emitted from Raven.

"Star, I'm not the most patient girl in the world so work with me, ok?"

There was a pause where neither girl moved. Suddenly, Starfire threw her head back and kneeled on her bed, the torrent of hair looking like a gust of fiery wind as it blew back to rest against her back. Her face was a sad one, her eyes had no feeling, and the emotions coming from her, though weak and feeble, were of pure sadness and anxiety.

"What did you find out?" Raven asked her instantaneously, worried immediately by her composure.

She didn't speak but looked dead ahead, then her eyes fell to her bed, and then to her hands. She fidgeted for a second or so but during that time, her shields fell and the emotions leaked through, slowly but surely. Raven, who was used to dealing with emotions that weren't her own, had not been fully prepared to deal with such somber ones coming from Starfire, out of all people. The worry Raven felt mixed with Starfire's own had her reeling and Raven had to take a moment to breathe deeply and try to calm herself. Starfire was affecting her a bit too much for comfort.

Starfire snapped out of her trance and noticed this. With a great effort on her part, she built the shields once more and retracted her feelings. Raven turned to her with an odd look on her face.

"It's not good to keep those emotions bottled up inside of you."

"They are my emotions," said Starfire, her voice a tad scratchy, "It is not your burden to carry."

"No, but then again, what are friends for?"

Starfire gave a small, watery smile before throwing herself on top of Raven for a bone crushing hug.

"OH! Ok, yes, yes, we're very emotional but---ow…"

"I am very sorry to have hurt you," Starfire sobbed softly, "But I am so frightened."

"Yeah," Raven groaned, rubbing her arms as Starfire let her go, "That's what I came to talk to you about."

She looked at Starfire seriously.

"What have you found out?"

Green, watery eyes fell to her joined hands once more, her vision becoming blurry and her throat clogging, making her unable to speak for a couple of seconds. A couple of tears fell from her eyes to the mattress which only worried Raven more. As for Starfire, she was glad it had been Raven who had come to see her and not Robin. She did not feel as if she needed to be so strong in front of Raven who waited patiently for Starfire to speak.

"I am frightened by what the Gordanians have told me," he started slowly, sadly, "and the possibility of whom I will have to--- defeat."

She ended with a gulp for her throat had clogged up again with fear. She couldn't bear to say the other word and instead settled for 'defeat', a nicer synonym to death.

"What did they tell you?"

"Raven, I will not be able to retell this story to the others again so I will ask a favor and have you tell them, please."

With a nod, Raven told her to go ahead.

"I was sold to the Gordanians as a slave, along with my sister, Komand'er. We were the first Tamaranian slaves in the history of the Vegan system and this was due to the fact that Tamaranians, though fierce warriors, prefer peace over war. For a long time, Tamaran had been able to escape the wars from other planets and other intergalactic problems. However, all of that changed when Komand'er gave away our secrets to the Gordanians.

Since there had never been any Tamaranian slaves before, the Gordanians decided to put us to work with the other slaves. For a long time, Komand'er and I worked under one of the ruling houses of the Gordanians, for a cruel and harsh master who caused a lot of trouble for Komand'er and I. We--- suffered a lot under him and it was until Komand'er snapped that our master realized how much power we had. He was almost killed by Komand'er's hand but this made him realize that slavery was not meant for us. Instead, he sold us once more, for a hefty price, to a couple of scientists who realized our powers as well.

We were soon separated an shipped to a lab on a far away planet, a planet that the Gordanians had invaded a long time ago. There, I was subjected to many experiments in order to find out how I could harness the sun's powers and transform that into the power of flight and superstregth."

Starfire paused, taking a deep breath. The worst part was yet to come and the images were already floating through her brain. She took a peak at Raven's face and was not surprised to see her expressionless. However, her eyes gave everything away.

Starfire continued, her voice trembling.

"I do not know how much time passed but I was drugged repeatedly and there were times when I would wake up, not knowing where I was or even _who_ I was. But those times were the lucky ones. There were other times where I would remember _everything_ they had done to me. I was probed, poked, and violated in so many ways…. I would wake up, groggy and confused with my body in pain and covered in bandages.

But then, one day, I woke up to a strange sensation all over my body but especially around my hands and in my head. My hands and fingers burned and my head felt as if it was about to bursts. Unlike the other times, I was not constricted to my bed, mainly because they thought I would not wake up so soon. When I did, I felt around my head and I felt--- stitches… all around my temple."

Starfire had begun crying by then, sad quiet sobs that was worse than if she had been howling with grief.

"Your starbolts…" Raven trailed off in melancholy awe.

"Yes, they wanted a weapon powerful enough to take over worlds as they pleased and they managed to change my internal anatomy in order for me to shoot starbolts out of my hands and eyes. What they didn't change was the connection between my solar energy and its connection to my emotions. My powers are influenced by how I feel and at that moment, when I felt those stitches around my head and felt the itch in my hands, something in me snapped. I felt a rage, anger, sadness, exploited, all at once. I brought the entire planet to its knees that day and killed thousands."

She stopped here to wipe the tears from her eyes and breathe, trying to settle her emotions.

"After that episode, I was too weak to fly away or even lift my head. I was not used to the capacity of my new powers and it nearly destroyed me for I was already drained from all the operations the Gordanians had done. So backup came and decided to transport me to where I had been sold to at once. The Gordanians had washed their hands clean of me and I was to become the Citadel's problem. I knew then, at once, I was not to be treated like garbage anymore. I had heard the Gordanians talk about my sister but I was too tired to hear properly. However, I knew she too must have gone through what I went through. I decided to escape, no matter what, and that's how I ended up on Earth."

Starfire sighed deeply, her story done and though she felt emotionally drained, she certainly felt the weight she had been carrying all this time was off her shoulders. She turned to look at Raven and Star would have laughed at the shocked expression on her face had it not been for how exhausted she was.

"I fear that my sister has not escaped prison but rather, she was bought by the Gordanians to fight with me. I have caused nothing but trouble for them and in making us fight each other, they would lose one and keep the other. I believe they will do anything to make sure Komand'er wins the battle and gets rid of me."

"But there's something I don't get," Raven started, shaking her head to understand everything Starfire was saying, "So if Komand'er wins, as in she kills you, wouldn't she gain her freedom?"

Starfire smiled at Raven, a humorless, cynical smile.

"Technically, yes, according to what they have said but what they actually do is a different situation all together."

"They will find some way to keep her?"

"Yes. You see, because of Galfore and the fact that Tamaranians are fierce warriors, they will not try that with me. It would turn into a huge war and though the Gordanians love war, they do not have the Citadel by their side to help them. They would surely lose against Tamaran for out allies are many and powerful. They have searched and brought me into this mess to make sure that Komand'er gets rid of me which would get rid of the Gordanians' duty to the Citadel. It would not be their fault if the slave died fighting for her freedom. This would mean they could still sell Komand'er to the Citadel and forge an alliance with them once more."

Raven groaned, understanding what she was saying but damning at how confusing it all was.

Starfire's hands embraced Raven's and her jade eyes bore into her violet ones.

"Please do not make me tell these horrible things to the Titans. I ask of you one favor and that is for you to tell them about all of this. For today, I wish merely to sleep and rest."

Raven nodded, giving her a rare smile and got off the bed. She made her way to the door, feeling heavy with sadness for her friend. She turned to bid Starfire good night and left her room. She tried very hard, as she walked down the hall, to shut out her feelings, feeble as they may be. To Raven, they felt overwhelming. Never had she known or could have even guessed that Starfire had gone through all of that. They girl was always so damn energetic and happy.

And yet, she had experienced things that Raven could not even fathom. It broke Raven's heart to think back to her words, choked with emotions and memories at the abuse she had gone through. It amazed her that she could be so cheerful all the time and even more that she couold use her god-forsaken powers for good rather than the evil she was supposed to have become.

She made her way to the Grand Room, hoping to find the Titans there.

They had a lot to talk about.

* * *

A silence spread over the room, where a pin drop could have been heard easily. Their expressions were the same, a pained aggrieved look that haunted their eyes and soul. Raven had told them a more…abbreviated version of Starfire's story, more for their sake than for hers. Even as she skipped some of the more raw parts of the story, Robin would increasingly become agitated and his fist clenched to the point of turning white. When the story was finished and Raven had delivered the final blow, not even Robin could manage a meager word. 

"Dudes…" Beast Boy breathed lowly, "I never would guessed."

"Yeah, man," continued Cyborg just as low as Beast boy, "She's always so cheery, you know…"

"I need to talk to her," Robin said immediately, getting up to walk over to the door but Raven stopped him.

"She's sleeping now," she told him quietly, "Leave her for tonight."

Robin hesitated, his face a mask of pain. With a dejected sigh, he sat back down.

"What are we going to do about this?" he asked to no one in particular. The team shrugged, almost as one, lost in the shock of the story and now, at the prospect of losing Starfire permanently. Like Starfire, they couldn't manage the word 'death' to enter their thoughts.

"Man, I'm beyond lost right now," said Cyborg, shaking his head and giving him a helpless look.

"Ditto," piped in Beast Boy and raven nodded in agreement, adding,

"If we do something to stop the battle or try to help her, the Gordanians will win and get them both. What _can _we do? As far as I can see, all we can do is just be there for her."

The Titans nodded distractedly and watched as the embers of the fire began to dim. The night was ending but their troubles were just beginning.

* * *

Dudes, its about to get real exciting!

My muse has slowly returned, mainly because of watching the latest Batman episode where Nightwing is along side him. I truly believe that my first love will always be a fictional character rather than a real person. How sad...


	15. Chapter 15

I want to clear up that 'Koriand'er' and 'Starfire' are used during different times because I feel that their real names are used when its intensely personal, like when Richard uses it. It'll be explained later on, I'm just saying that there's a purpose to it.

Also, there was supposed to be a hot and steamy scene in here but... I decided to cut it!

Ok, on with the show!

* * *

_**'Fear is the parent of cruelty'**_

_**-- James Anthony Froude.**_

_**'Night brings our troubles to light, rather than banishes them.'**_

_**-- Seneca**_

With the new morning came along renewed feelings. The Titans had barely slept the night before and worse could be said for the Tamaranian princess. It was enough to say that when the morning heat started, the team happily drew the covers and changed into their daily outfits. They made their way to the Grand Room, hoping they would see Starfire there but to no avail. Galfore informed them that she was already at training.

After eating breakfast at lightning speed, the Titans went to see Starfire train once more. The afternoon passed slowly though it was not because of slow and boring training. In fact, it was just the opposite. Starfire's teachers had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning, it seemed, for they were putting her through hell. Every attack she made, they deflected with the outmost of ease and every attack they launched was harsh and quick. Even Robin couldn't have been able to fight them off.

Little by little, Starfire tired as she was put through rigorous training and ruthless treatment. She was too tired from the lack of sleep and the emotional whirlwind but this did not stop her from trying to get her shots in. She was told not to use her powers that day to which she was thankful for. She didn't think she could manage them today.

As the training continued, Starfire finally became too burned out and with a couple of hits and strikes, she was hurtled to the ground violently. For a moment or so, she didn't move but remained still, much to the Titan's uneasiness. After a couple of worrisome seconds, she finally raised her head, slowly and painfully. Her teachers stood in front of her and without helping her up, they spoke to her. Their voice betrayed no emotions but Starfire's face did. She had obviously disappointed them and though they could not understand them, the Titans knew they were saying a lot of harsh things to her.

They left, leaving Starfire lying on the dirty ground. The Titans made their way down to the door and waited for Starfire to refresh herself and change. They talked amongst themselves, of other things than the one single thought in their mind. There were a couple of nervous and fake chuckles here and there and most of the subjects died quickly. After a while, the Titans stopped trying and stood quietly, waiting patiently for the Tamaranian girl to come out.

When she did, she merely looked at them and sighed, offering no small smile; not even a fake one. She started walking back to the Grand Room for another afternoon had passed. She knew they needed to talk and she preferred it if they had some food and a comfortable place to start. As for the Titans, they made no comments about this and merely followed her.

They entered the Grand Room and sat down on the comfortable couches, plates full of food and other goodies.

"Please start," Starfire said softly, her voice sounding extremely weary.

"Where does one start?" Robin asked unbelievably, looking around to the Titans.

"We all know what you must do," Raven said to Starfire, "and we will be be supporting you all the way."

Starfire grimaced at her words.

"Perhaps not…" she said quietly, staring at a piece of purplish fruit in her hand.

"We can't say we know what you are going through," offered Beast boy, smiling gently at her, "but we'll be there for you, no matter what."

"Yeah, darlin'," piped in Cyborg warmly, "We family. We got your back."

Finally, a smile broke loose on her face, however small it might have been.

"Thank you all."

* * *

The battles continued, becoming harder and harder by the day. However, with her friends' support, Starfire gave it her all. In fact, the Titans were pleasantly surprised to see her at her best so far and though each day brought more anxiety, Starfire seemed to be handling it. The training let her de-stress from all the concerns that went through her head every minute of every day. And still, the days continued to pass slowly but surely. She met Richard every night in his room and slept there, comforted by his strong arms and his scent as she wafted off to sleep. Beast Boy and Cyborg kept her amused with their jokes but mainly, they offered warmth that only they could offer. It was like having two brothers with whom she could count on to beat up whatever bully was harassing her. Though she knew the idea was ridiculous, it comforted to no end. 

Raven was there every evening to meditate and have a soul to soul chat. She opened up to the girl a lot more than before and though they had been close before they came to Tamaran, a certain bond had been forged there. For that, Starfire was most overjoyed and always looked forward to their meditation sessions.

But the good times passed and the day was looming ahead. It was the day before the battle and Starfire, her head reeling, her nerves failing her, and her heart going into overdrive, left her room and made her way to Richard's.

* * *

He was expecting her. 

He couldn't sleep as well, way too nervous and petrified of the upcoming day. He was still in his daily clothes, mask and all, too preoccupied with the myriad of thoughts in his head. It was hard to believe that the day was there already. Hadn't they _just _landed there a couple of days ago?

Even as Koriand'er entered his room, he didn't focus his eyes on her until he felt her weight on the his mattress. They did not speak as she burrowed under the covers and placed her head on his shoulder. There, visibly shivering, she buried her head in his neck and let his arms surround her. They lay in that position for some time, neither of them knew how long and neither of them cared.

"I don't wish to kill her," she mumbled against his skin.

"I know," he answered her sadly, knowing who she meant instantly.

"I don't wish to die either."

His arms tightened its hold on her as she spoke.

"You won't."

"I want to return to Earth."

"Then let's go."

That got her to chuckle. Yes, they could do that easily. After all, she had done it before.

"Don't think badly of me, Richard," she whispered and was surprised when he pulled away from her. Her eyes rose hesitantly, knowing he would be angry at her for saying something so stupid.

"You know I would never think of you like that," he whispered roughly, and Koriand'er knew his jewel-like eyes (had they not been hidden by the mask) would be shining brilliantly in the darkness of the night, "Life never gives you easy choices but sometimes, there are rare times where life gives you _no _choices at all. This is one of them."

She nodded tiredly and cuddled into him once more.

"I'm afraid to die, Richard," she spoke once more, "But mostly, I am afraid to die by my sister's hand."

He sighed deeply and she felt it in her chest. He said nothing for he _had _nothing to say.

"Will I be any different if I survive?"

"Yes."

A silence fell over them.

Koriand'er pushed herself to rest on her shoulders, looking at Richard with half closed eyes. Her lips slowly made their way to his, giving him the most passionate kiss she had ever given him. It placed unholy thoughts in his head and made his body react instantaneously. Her hands began traveling down his chest, underneath the fabric of his shirt to touch the sinewy muscles that jerked with every soft touch of her fingers.

His arm snaked its way to her waist, caressing the sensitive parts there and making her moan in pleasure. It was that moan, pressed against his lips, which made him pull away.

"Kori…" he whispered, his voice sounding affected even to his own ears.

"I may die tomorrow," she told him in a gentle tone. This drew a raised eyebrow from him.

"Kori…."

"Wait, Richard---" she sighed tiredly, rubbing her eyes much like Galfore did nowadays, "I want this to happen before…" he paused, wetting her lips as she looked down to where her fingers were playing with the waistband of his pants, "I want this to happen tonight."

He narrowed his covered eyes at her, a habit she was so used to seeing by now. It's what made Robin 'Robin'. However, this time, Richard was peeking through the mask as well.

"What are you telling me?"

She gulped, letting her kiss say what she needed to say. She had not expected him to push her away as he did.

"This is not happening tonight," he told her seriously, and for a moment she thought it was Robin talking once more. However, his next words made her realize it was definitely Richard.

"_This _is not about saying good-bye," he started angrily, pulling her fingers from their spot on his waistband and grasping them in his own, "This is about new beginnings, it's to feel closer to someone you love. I _love_ you Kori and I'm sure as hell not saying good-bye to you just yet."

She felt the tears form behind her eyes and she desperately wanted to stop them from coming. However, he felt the tears that fell from her eyes before he could spot them. His hand went to her face instantly and brushed them away.

"Richard, I'm scared of what will happen. To me, to the team, but mainly…to us. If I survive and I change, would you still---"

"Don't even ask such a ridiculous question," he told her chidingly, "thoughts like that shouldn't even _cross_ your mind."

Her eyes were the only light in the room for the moon had, once again, been obscured by the clouds.

Though watery and dim, her eyes lit up her saddened face. Upon seeing this, Robin left the intimate setting as the mask came off and let Richard emerge. His own jewel like eyes met hers and he kissed her softly, pulling away gently as she got too into it again.

Chuckling, he shook his head at her.

"You're just a lil' wildfire there," he told her jokingly and he received a true smile from her, one that warmed his body in a way no one else could.

"If you wouldn't have stopped me, you would have found out how much of a wildfire I can be—" she trailed off suggestively, letting her fingers walk over his chest. It actually took him a second to figure out that she was being sensual. He was so used to her being sweet and innocent that it took him time to see that she could easily (as she had proven so many times now) pull off the sexual vixen bit. In fact, she had brought him to points where he had no control over his body, something he feared horribly. Not because of Kori, of course, but mainly when he was overcome by anger. A part of his brain would shut off and the anger and hatred would take over him completely, leaving him helpless to do anything about it.

But Kori…

The way she did it, he would have happily let her have control over anything she wanted.

She smirked at him as she put her head down on his chest once more and breathed in deeply. Their little playing had calmed her down and though she knew it would be some time before she fell asleep, the comfort of having Richard so close was more than enough to relax her. Maybe today would not be the day for them to express their need for each other and in some ways, Kori was glad for this. Richard had done her a favor in not letting her make _that _into something else other than love and passion. She was sure, at that moment, that _if _they got the chance to make love to each other, it would be just that, not because of sadness, or worry, or to say good-bye.

She hoped, for his sake and the team's sake rather than her own, that they would not have to say good-bye.

* * *

The heat was intolerable the following morning. Not even the cool palace walls could keep the heat away from the Tamaranians and in fact, the Titans had half a mind to walk around as bare as the rest of the natives. The tiniest of steps send cascades of sweat down their backs; there was no comfort whatsoever that day. Still, as Koriand'er had told them, a crescent moon at night indicated that relief was on its way. There would be a large chance of rain that night, as every crescent moon brought in Tamaran. 

The battle was not scheduled that early in the afternoon. Instead, they spent the first hours worrying their heads off and as Raven had said more than once, "catching ulcers." Koriand'er did not train that day as to not feel tired for the evening. Rather, she spent the day with her friends, chatting as casually with them as she could muster the energy to. Between the joking, and the conversations, and the meditating, the better part of the afternoon passed and they early signs of evening were beginning to show.

The time had come to face her destiny, whatever it would bring.

* * *

Before Koriand'er knew it, she stood in front of her G'norfka, dressed in her battle gear and full of nerves. Her hands were sweaty, her heart racing, and she felt her body trembling harshly. The flight to the battle field, in the middle of the Tamaranian desert, had gone unnoticed by her. She could not remember at what time she had awakened, with whom, or if she had slept the night before. Her mind was a clean slate with only one thing floating in it, a dark, somber thought that ate her from the inside out. 

Galfore spoke to her; his voice soft but strong, full of conviction. The Tamaranian language fell out of his lips, lulling her strain and worry, telling her sweet nothings that she couldn't quite comprehend at the moment. All she heard was the rhythm of his speech, the comfort he tried to bring to her, and the hug he gave her, one that could have shattered her very bones but she accepted it most gratefully.

The Titans came in to her small chamber, offering the same words Galfore had given her. Hands shaking, she thanked them all and hugged them as well. They Titans were trembling just as much as she was, perhaps even more. They had a worse job to do; to stand there, watching their friend make war with her own blood and flesh, and not knowing what was worse: for her to kill or be killed.

Even Raven hugged her friend back, touching her forehead with her fingers and muttered something to her to which Koriand'er smiled nervously and spoke back, in whatever strange language Raven had spoken. Raven gave her a final hug, trying her hardest to contain her emotions. But even she, a master at keeping feelings in her control, couldn't hide what they all felt. Objects around them shattered suddenly and shook as if an earthquake was among them. No one said anything for if they had her power, they would be doing the same thing.

Finally, she came upon Robin, his mask in place and acting the very part of leader. She hugged him, glad to feel his arms around her body. Robin or Richard, leader or human, or a hybrid of both, buried themselves in her, terrified to let her go. The line between the two, already blurred by Koriand'er's influence, became one at last as she faced her greatest challenge to date.

There were no words to speak, no words of encouragement or of cheer. There was only touch an feel of limbs and the sadness of knowing if she were to die that day, she would leave so many people behind, so many moments unshared, and words unspoken. She sighed against his skin, feeling her heart flutter violently within her bosom.

She gave them one final glance, a desolate team standing unknowingly against an uncertain future, before she stepped out into the battle field.

The lights from the field made the evening less cold but the sight of hundreds of Gordanians made her blood run cold. Half of Tamaran had come to see her, it seemed, but they all sat at one side of the field, as far away from the Gordanians as possible. Screeches and cheers ran throughout the night and the harsh winds made it impossible for her to stop shaking. She waited there, impatiently but having no other real choice. The Gordanians decided to take their sweet time about everything and it took all of Koriand'er's strength to keep her heart from jumping out of her chest.

Finally, the Gordanian who had captured her walked into the stadium, amongst the raucous yells of his fellow beings. He threw his hands out, speaking in his native tongue which only made Koriand'er more panicky. She was too tense to understand what he said but she got the jist of it.

The battle was about to begin.

He gave her an odd glance, triumphant and superior in every way as he walked out of the stadium, giving a signal to his fellow being. He nodded back and yelled something into the opposite chamber. Koriand'er waited with baited breath as the rest of the audience did. Her opponent was about to step out into the light, her destiny was about to be revealed.

No one heard the dry sob that escaped her lips for the Gordanians had begun to shriek and bellow victoriously.

Her greatest fear had been confirmed as Komand'er stepped out from the darkness, an exact mirror image of Koriand'er had it not been for the dark hair and eyes and the hatred that lay there as she faced her sibling.

"Surprised, little sister?" she spat out venomously in Tamaranian, the language hostile and bitter coming from her lips. She was dressed in her own battle gear and looking at her sister with outmost aversion.

"This is going to be a fun night."

"Komand'er," she whispered heart-brokenly, her eyes gazing at her. She had heavy bags under her indigo eyes, bruises and injuries adorned her otherwise beautiful face, and her hair had been messily cut, a chaotic mess of indigo that reached her chin when it had once reached her lower back.

The Gordanian indicated the battle had begun and at once, Komand'er's eyes lit up with odious flames. Without hesitation, she released a couple of starbolts, aimed directly for Koriand'er. All Koriand'er could do was dodge out of the way, still too in shock with the situation.

"Sister, please, we must not fight," she pleaded helplessly, throwing herself on the floor as another ball of energy came her way.

"We can take them; destroy them all if we work together."

Komand'er let out an eerie laugh, a mocking one that rang in Koriand'er's ears.

"Fight together? Where _have _you been the last couple of years, Kori? I intend to get out of this place with my freedom."

Komand'er gave up on the starbolts, noticing none of them hit their target. She launched herself toward Koriand'er, catching her off guard and slamming her to the floor. Koriand'er groaned in pain as her head hit the ground hard and felt her sister's weight on top of hers. Cruel hands grasped a fist full of hair and slammed her against the floor, earning a cry from Koriand'er.

"This isn't Earth anymore, Koriand'er. It's harder here; harder to survive, harder to win, harder to be happy. You are weak and feeble. I am not. That's why I shall endure and you shall not."

One straight kick to the rib made sure Komand'er collapsed face down next to Koriand'er who climbed on top of her and made sure to hold her hands behind her. She leaned in to her sister, smelling the familiar scent of Gordanians and chocked down the bile that rose within her.

"I am begging you for X'hal's sake to stop this. You and I can defeat them if we join forces."

Komand'er struggled violently, laughing acrimoniously at her words.

"Don't you get it, Kori? There is no _you and I_ anymore. There hasn't been one for a long time."

Noticing Koriand'er head was so close to hers, Komand'er threw her head backwards as hard as she could muster and heard the sickening 'crack' of contact. Koriand'er got off her, her hands going directly to her face. Her nose was bleeding and her lip was cut, not to mention the momentary blindness from the intensity of the hit. She tasted the cold taste of metal in her mouth and tried to blink the lights away from her eyes. It was a moment too late as the first thing she saw was a starbolt directed straight to her. She staggered out of the way but the bolt caught a piece of her hair. She smelled the burnt, crisp scent but did not worry about her mane for another ball of energy came at her again. This time she flew into the air, for a moment or so before descending suddenly.

She had no good thoughts to keep her airborne.

Komand'er came at her once more, slamming her against the wall and keeping her there for a moment or so.

"Dear, dear sister," she muttered softly, "This is how it ends. Had it not been for all the shit we were put through, you and I might have gotten along very well."

"Komand'er," whispered Koriand'er, her head feeling as if it was about to split open, "I am so sorry to have hurt you. I am sorry you felt like I did not love you and for being so damn weak."

She blearily opened her eyes to look at her, tears falling from her eyes,

"I do love you and I always have… but it was never my fault."

"No?" Komand'er scoffed, holding her sister's arms and slamming her against the wall once more, a pained expression on her face.

"You are right, Koriand'er, you are weak. And your gullible nature is what caused this rift between us. It was your eagerness to believe _everything _anyone told you that hurt me so much."

Taking her from the waist, she hurtled Koriand'er to the ground, lifting a great deal of dust into the air.

"It was you who caused all of this to happen. Because of _you, _I turned out the way I did."

Through the haze of pain, Koriand'er heard her and a rage built inside her. Not all of it was her fault. It had been one mistake, yes, but it certainly did not mean Koriand'er was the one to be blamed for Komand'er malevolence.

"It is not my fault," she yelled and let the beams from her eyes escape. It hit her sister straight in the chest, sending her hurtling backwards. Koriand'er got up slowly and looked for her sister in between the cloud cover. She saw a pair of indigo eyes coming straight for her and before she could move away, she was slammed into the ground once more. They wrestled each other, one trying to stop the other from causing any more damage.

"No use in pointing fingers anymore, sister dear. I shall emerge victorious and take what is mine."

"Tamaran is _not _yours!"

Suddenly, in her head, another part took over, the Tamaranian blood of her ancestors ran across her veins in heat. Aiming her eye beams at her hands, Koriand'er freed herself from her. She stood differently, with more confidence and the tears that had filled her eyes were no longer there.

"I regret the pain I have brought you, sister, but I can no longer live in the past. The future is too important to me, mine as well as Tamaran's."

They flew into the air and like missiles, they clashed against each other, like falling stars but they refused to fall, fighting each other mercilessly. Orbs of green and violet lights filled the dark night and were soon joined by the thunderclaps that rumbled the planet. Whistles of their flight were the only things heard but once in a while, one could hear the yells of pain and anger.

Koriand'er felt herself being pulled by strong arms and before she knew it, she had been sent hurtling down to the ground. She landed painfully, creating a large crater in the middle of the battle field. Her arms were bleeding and her hair was matted helplessly, falling in her face haphazardly. She looked up to see Komand'er flying straight to her, like an arrow of purple light, and moved out the way.

"We simply cannot keep doing this, Koriand'er. Just let me kill you and let this be over."

Narrowing her eyes, she asked painfully.

"You would be willing to kill your own flesh, Komand'er?"

"I am a warrior, Koriand'er, more of a Tamaranian than you have ever been. If anyone should have been shunned, it should have been you. I am as ruthless as our ancestors were which is why I will triumph in this battle and rule Tamaran the way it was supposed to have been ruled."

She walked closer to Koriand'er, her eyes glowing jarringly against the lights.

"You will do no such thing," Koriand'er said harshly but Komand'er laughed her comment off.

"Our parents were weak and frightened by me, by my determination to rule Tamaran. They were the ones who told the Elders to plant those seeds of hatred in you."

"Stop it," cried Koriand'er affrightedly, her voice trembling, "Don't do this, Komand'er…"

"They hoped you would be brave enough to kill me if I ever overtook Tamaran," Komand'er continued, her voice resilient and strong, "How disappointed they must have been to be given such a frail and cowardly daughter. _Everyone_ loved you, _everyone_ cheered for your birth, _everyone_ blessed you but it was _I _who was meant for power, _sister dear_, not you."

"Komand'er," Koriand'er whispered harshly, "be quiet."

"Do you wish to know how our parents died?" Komand'er asked evilly, a smirk coming across her lips.

"Stop it," Koriand'er hissed, backing up as Komand'er walked closer and closer to her still, "Don't do this…"

"They were mocked and spat upon by beings lesser than us," she said off handedly, "who knows what might have been done to father? Was he beaten to death or perhaps hanged?"

Koriand'er was visibly trembling but not out of fear. Rage had take over her, a certain rage that let her hear everything her sister was saying and let it feed her fuel. Her hands began to itch as they had done once before and her body felt strange, almost as if she was having an out of body experience.

"Perhaps mother was the only happy to be murdered. She would finally be with my real father, her one true love and not the man who couldn't even protect her…"

"Shut up!" Koriand'er yelled loudly, her voice echoing through the field. Komand'er continued to walk nearer to her, like a predator hunting his prey. Her eyes glowed a deep blue and her hand held a starbolt, ready and glowing.

"They died scared and _pathetically_ asking for mercy which is how you will die."

Komand'er extended her hand at the same time Koriand'er did and the two starbolts met midway. It exploded aggressively, sending both Tamaranian girls flying forcefully through the air. But while Komand'er took a minute or so to get up, Koriand'er had already made her way to her sister and took her by her chest armor, delivering blow after blow. Komand'er was taken aback by the sudden violence but her sister's own aggression only fed her. They rolled in the ground, kicking and punching wherever their fists landed. Koriand'er took her by the arms and slammed her down into the ground, forcing her face against the hard sands. Suddenly, a pair of legs kicked her behind her head and the world momentarily went black.

She found ruthless hands around her neck as she woke up, trying to choke her to death and for a moment, Koriand'er panicked when she couldn't breath. Natural instincts released her eyebeams and caught Komand'er straight in the face.

Koriand'er took her once more by her chest plate and raised her into the air as Komand'er slowly opened her eyes. She was bleeding profusely but from where exactly one could not tell.

"Do it," she whispered harshly, her voice croaking out the words, "End it now."

"I can't---"

"Let me live and I shall make sure that Tamaran is brought to its knees," Komand'er chocked out, spitting blood.

"Komand'er! Please, do not---"

"I shall make sure your _dear_ G'norfka suffers terribly, your precious Earth is destroyed, your friends killed," she smiled as Koriand'er eyes widened, her hands filling with green energy, "But most of all, I will make sure your beloved Robin dies as painfully and as slowly as---"

Her words died on her lips as Koriand'er, named after the energy of their sun, became engulfed in green light.

Her name is Koriand'er, like a star herself, she is beautiful and nurturing. She gives light and warmth. She also wields power that defies measure and imagination. And so, like a star, she can bring great destruction.

Nothing was seen through the mixture of sand, dust, and green energy. Everyone held their breaths. The Gordanians were no longer cheering, Tamaranians had stopped crying and shouting and the four humans stopped breathing.

"What happened?"

The rain began to pour down upon the three species. Water began to cleanse away the night and diminished the warmth that surrounded the beings. The drops of water were the only sounds that could be heard of for some time until a sob broke through the silence.

It was an anguished sob, a single one that lingered in the air. It reverberated through everyone and everything and was soon followed by another.

The pace of the rain mixed with the forlorn weeping, ricocheting against each other but soon the lament quickly overcame the rain.

The smoke cleared slowly, as if to build the drama and anxiousness on purpose. Slowly, two shadows were revealed. Then the shadows took form and showed Koriand'er bending over the body of a mangled and obviously dead Komand'er, her eyes opened and glassy, holding no life within its empty shell.

The inconsolable sobbing continued into the night.

The Titans and Galfore quickly moved, trying to get to her before the Gordanians could. They jumped into the field and ran over to her, slowing down as to not frighten her as they reached her.

The smell of burned flesh reached their nostrils and what was worse; they could not tell whether it was Kori's or her sister's. Galfore took a long look at Koriand'er and turned away, telling the Titans to do something but they were not quite sure what. He spoke in Tamaranian, forgetting that they had no understanding of the language. He faced the Gordanians as they charged forward, wanting to take the body of the slave at once.

"Your princess is free," they told Galfore, "Congratulations."

They brushed past him and attempted to take Komand'er's body but Koriand'er had a tight hold on her, unwilling to let her go. The Gordanians, not known for their patience, tried to pull her away but a silver bo-staff came into contact with his neck.

"I suggest you leave her be," Robin said fiercely, his voice never before sounding as dangerous as it did now. The Gordanians merely growled and pushed the staff away, ready to fight if need be. After the battle they had just witnessed, they felt like getting their hands dirty.

However, that feeling quickly diminished as Robin took out a couple of disks from his belt and held his bo-staff ready in his hand. Raven became her shadow form, letting tendrils of darkness slither out of her and revealing four angry red eyes.. Cyborg transformed both his hands into cannons and two missiles popped out of his shoulders, lit and ready to be used while Beast Boy transformed into a strange species of an alien animal, roaring ferociously.

"As I said before, leave her alone."

The Gordanians scoffed arrogantly but knew better than to battle them. They stepped back and let the Titans take care of the alien girl. Robin bent down toward her, trying to sooth her tears but his words went by unnoticed. Her crying continued and every time Robin tried to pry her away from the dead body, Koriand'er would vehemently shake him loose and throw herself on top of Komand'er once more.

Time passes slowly as the Titans felt helpless watching Koriand'er cry her heart out on top of her sister's burnt body. But slowly, Robin managed to lead Koriand'er away from her sibling's body and wrapped his arms around her. He picked her up, noticing all the cuts and bruises beginning to show. Her face was dirty and full of dried blood and her hair was charred, the very ends burnt to a crisp. Her body went limp in his arms and for a moment, he felt his heart drop to his stomach. He recovered when he saw her steady breathing and finally walked out of the field, the Titans behind him, and left the body of a fallen adversary behind.

For Koriand'er, the worst was yet to come.

* * *

_'Her name is Koriand'er, like a star herself, she is beautiful and nurturing. She gives light and warmth. She also wields power that defies measure and imagination. And so, like a star, she can bring great destruction.'_

---- Teen Titans and The Outsiders, The Insider part four


	16. Chapter 16

This chapter gave me hell! It is not my best work and I am certainly not proud of it (it could have been better). However, it was necessary for the story and for me. I've always loved Blackfire.

Important note!!!! I will be leaving for my own Tamaran in a week so there will no updates for...maybe two to three weeks. But hang in there, please, the second part is about to start!

* * *

_No one becomes at once completely vile._

--- Juvenal

_"'Going bad' is something that happens over a long period of time."_

--- Kumiko, 'The Wind up Bird Chronicles" by Haruki Murakami

* * *

"Shh---"

"I am awfully sorry, sister. I'm so nervous…"

A giggle escaped her lips but a hand draped over her mouth.

"Kori…"

"Sorry," she whispered again and waited for her sister to peak around the corner. With a bright smile, a young Komand'er gave her the signal to keep moving. They levitated slightly off the ground and floated through the dark and silent halls of the Royal Tamaranian Palace, at a time when the Royal family was in the peak of its regime.

It was night in the strange planet called Tamaran, home to the two Tamaranian princesses who were currently up to their next mischief.

The offense?

Simple; a midnight snack.

The consequences?

They couldn't tell you; they had yet to be caught to find out.

The thrill of getting caught was just one of the many perks of their almost nightly midnight snack run. Others included the obvious enjoyment of consumption of the bitter Glugber or the salty taste of Snorglof. But what Koriand'er truly enjoyed the most was uncomplicated.

Just to be in the company of her sister was more than enough for her.

They encountered a set of guards near the end of their journey. Komand'er and Koriand'er immediately stood alert, their ears straining to hear any movements coming from them. The guards were patrolling the halls as usual but like always, they were more interested in inferior things, less significant stories of this and that; guarding the halls was the last thing they were doing at that time.

But this was good news to the two sisters and they found that getting by them was easier than they thought it would have been. The simply pushed a few objects off their stands, off the walls, and broke a couple of murals and painting. Alarmed by the noise, the guards went to investigate.

A piece of cake.

In fact, after Komand'er and Koriand'er had quietly flown over the guards, Komand'er complained, rather irritated, about the lack of a good challenge nowadays. Since Koriand'er was naïve about what a good challenge presented, she agreed with her sister only because she was always right.

They crept into the kitchen, a huge room full of every kind of goodies they could think of. As soon as they opened the door, the smell of delicious food wafted toward them, making them salivate instantly. Happily, they dug in, smiling and laughing as they stuffed their faces. They told each other jokes, good ones and bad ones alike. Some about things they knew and other naughty ones which they couldn't truly understand but they laughed nonetheless at the silliness of it all. Koriand'er commented on all the gossip flying around the palace, about the ladies-in-waiting flirting around with commoners and sleeping with married men. To the Royals, such things were acceptable for they had no choice of whom they were married to. However, to commoners (including ladies-in-waiting) this was not looked highly upon. The sound of laughter and joking rang within the room but it attracted the guards quickly.

Komand'er was the first to notice the clinking in the hallway. She nudged her younger sister and told her to fly upward, holding a piece of zorkaberry cake. Koriand'er nodded and did so, flying to the very top of the door and waiting patiently. The guards came in suddenly and pointed their swords at the only person in the room. Once the guards realized it was one of the Royal kids again, they quickly put their weapons down.

"Princess Komand'er?"

But the princess was asleep, standing up with her eyes closed and munching on a couple of cookies. The guards tried again, frightened by the way she acted. She seemed to be fast asleep but at the same time, she was happily eating her cookies, stuffing three to four cookies in her mouth. They moved into the room, anxious to take the princess to her parents and find out what was happening.

Suddenly, dark eyes spread open and she screamed out an order to Koriand'er. The guards looked up just in time to see the cake, quite big in size, fall on them with a loud SPLAT. Giggling wildly, the two siblings flew out of the room at lighting speed, happy to have been able to get away with it.

They would defend another the next day; somehow they would get out of trouble. They had each other's back; they always did…

* * *

"The galaxy over there is the Milky Way, far, far away from this one but it holds one or two planets which contain life."

Her slender finger pointed at a strange looking white line of cloud, punctuated by a couple of different colored planets. Koriand'er watched in awe as her sister continued telling her all she knew about the galaxy. Komand'er was so learned in so many things Koriand'er didn't know about but her sister always went out of her way to teach her. Komand'er named the planets she knew, each and every single one of them for Koriand'er to know.

"As future Empress, one must know all the planets and beings around us. Their differences, similarities, are they intelligent or are they blood-thirsty? These are questions one asks in order to become a worthy royal."

"But why are you telling me, Komand'er? I am but second in line for the throne; it is you who shall become the Queen of Tamaran."

Komand'er looked sideways at Koriand'er, pondering deeply about her. She was so naïve, so inexperienced at these matters. She wouldn't know what to do if something happened to her which would not because Komand'er was by her side at all times. But she was growing up and growing up means one has to come to grips with reality.

"Koriand'er, the chances of me becoming the next Empress of Tamaran are zero to none," she told her sister, laughing bitterly about it, "Father would never allow it."

"But the last time we sneaked out, we heard you were still on his will and---"

"Koriand'er, love," Komand'er sighed, reaching for the young girl's hand, "That means nothing. Father could easily change it in a heartbeat and there's no doubt in my mind that he will. _You_ are the Tamaranian, not I."

Getting angry at her words, Koriand'er gave her older sibling a reproachful look.

"You are a Tamaranian as well, no matter what _anyone_ says."

Komand'er laughed, her voice rich and low. Her beautiful dark hair glittered mysteriously in the darkness, letting the stars twinkle in her eyes.

"You're sweet Koriand'er but sweetness will get you nowhere on this planet. You need to grow up and learn that things are not always in black and white."

Koriand'er nodded, trusting her sister's words and making sure that she would remember them. And when Komand'er started teaching her about the planets once more, Koriand'er made sure that she paid close attention to everything she said, wanting very much to be as smart as her sister one day.

"Now darling, listen closely to the next planet, it is one of the two planets to contain life. It is called Earth…"

* * *

"Komand'er!!"

The door slammed open and a young girl not yet eight appeared distressed. Her long black hair swept around her feet, finally resting near the floor. Dark eyes looked around wildly to her sister, the concern evident in her eyes.

"What is the matter?"

Koriand'er sobbed loudly, sitting on her bed with huge crocodile tears pouring down her face. She cried while she talked, making it impossible to understand anything she said. Sighing, Komand'er went to her at once, trying to comfort the younger girl. She played with the red locks that fell around her pretty face and shushed.

"Stop crying and talk," she demanded, not quite angry but truly upset.

"Father want to--- he wants to send me with you to the training of Okaara."

Komand'er nodded, taking her hand and patting it gently.

"I know this but this is no crying matter, Koriand'er."

Koriand'er nodded energetically, the tears flying off her face.

"I am much too young, I know nothing about anything and---"

Komand'er chuckled, pulling on her hair gently, scolding.

"Yes, you do. You'll be fine, you'll be with me."

"But this is your chance to prove just how wonderful you are. Father will surely—"

Sighing, Komand'er decided to keep her opinion to herself. _Father _would not think of her as anything other than a bastard. And certainly, he had proven it when he decided to send Koriand'er along with her to the training. Yet, when she spoke, there was no bitterness in her voice. Maybe she should tell Koriand'er about what their dear father was planning but she thought better of it. The girl was so innocent; she should not be marred with any of this nasty business. Not if she could help it.

"Yes, darling, whatever you say," she smiled at her, wiping the tears from her face, "Come, I'm feeling hungry at the moment. How about some delicious Zorkaberry pie…"

* * *

"You shall rue the day you double crossed me, Koriand'er!"

The walls echoed the loud shout in the dark and dreary halls of the imprisonment camp. She could hear her sister being dragged away to her own prison, heard her try to fight off her capturers and in the process, get beaten to a point where she couldn't even scream anymore. Koriand'er sobbed pitifully and tried to stop after the guards slammed their fists into her cell door to make her be quiet.

"Crying will get you nowhere in here, _princess_."

The next three years of her life would be filled with hard labor, something she wasn't used to. She and her sister were expected to be maids and take care of the mansion in which one of the most respected Gordanian lived. His house was huge, every crook and cranny filled with dust or insects, and with dozens of rooms that were not used at all. Each day, along with the two other slaves, they would try to polish the house to make it livable, at least.

Koriand'er lost the sparkle in her eyes as each day passed. Her hair, once long enough to trail on the floor, had been cut up to her chin. There was one purpose for this and it was so it wouldn't get in the way of their whipping. They all tried very hard to please their master, doing everything he told them. The two slaves who had been there before Koriand'er and Komand'er were the Gordanian's mistresses and their beatings were the cause the wife of the Gordanian who was a very jealous woman. The two female slaves had no choice over the matter. Either they would get whipped for not listening to their master or get whipped by the wife.

They often cried at night, nursing a couple of new injuries on their bodies and it took all of Koriand'er will to try not to listen to them. Rarely was Koriand'er even noticed around the mansion. Most of the time, her master was not there and his wife was usually training with the rest of her people. This left the slaves alone, save for a couple of guards. But they would never dare to think to escape. They were in a planet filled with Gordanians and even though the two Tamaranians had their strength and ability of flight, they had been so sleep and food deprived that they could barely wake up most mornings.

Koriand'er truly believed she would die one day. Whether it was when she would get whipped for a petty fault or when she had not tasted food for a couple of weeks, she knew she would die a slave. She grew paler, smaller, and sadder. This was nothing compared to her sister who had once been so beautiful and full of life. Now, she was nothing but skin and bones, her eyes had become hollow and the laughter was gone from her very presence. She and her sister rarely talked; they never even glanced at one another. They had nothing to say and nothing else to do but to try and bear the life they had been handed. Koriand'er knew her sister hated her now more than ever so nothing could have prepared her for what she would do one night.

One day, well into her slavery, as the master of the house came home, he found out that both his mistresses had fallen ill and died the night before. He was quite disappointed that he could not be able to let go of his stress with one of the pretty slave girls. He disposed of the dead bodies by giving them to the many alien pets he kept around. He watched the monster tear the young, beaten bodies apart with pleasure but even then, the master tried to think of how he would distress himself now that he had no more mistresses. Certainly, his wife was not on his mind.

But one ex-princess was.

Even though Koriand'er was extremely emaciated, it could not hide the fact that once, she had been a very beautiful young woman to look at. She had yet to reach her transformation as her sister had done a few months before she had been sold but this did not deter her master.

He called her to him one night. Frightened beyond belief, Koriand'er made her way to his chamber. She passed by Komand'er's cell and noticed that Komand'er was not the least affected by this. Koriand'er wanted to call out to her sister to save her, to do something and let them escape the forsaken place. She did not, however, for she had grown up with in the darkness of the prison. She knew that nothing could stop her master from taking something so important away from her.

She walked to his chamber like one condemned. She nervously stepped in, presenting herself to him. He smiled and licked his teeth and he looked at her. Gordanians were not subtle creatures, much less romantics. They were raw and vicious beings who knew what they wanted and would get it even if it was the last thing they did. As the Gordanian stripped the young girl off her ratty clothes, he breathed into her skin, letting the sordid smell penetrate through her pores and causing her to gag. Her heart beat wild and loud, so much she thought he could hear it. This did not work in her favor for he seemed to enjoy the fear permeating through her. It whet his appetite.

Koriand'er knew very little about sex but she knew that most creatures had different ways to do it. Gordanians and Tamaranians were not built the same way. So when the wind of the night hit hidden parts of her young body as she stood naked in front of him, tears rolled down her cheeks in expectation. She remembered the slaves who had died the day before. They had been sick but not of an infection or illness. The only malady they had was unhappiness, pain, and sorrow. They took their lives that night, together; the only family they had left was each other.

She thought back of their conversations, their tales of their nightly ritual, and the injuries they came back with. They talked about wild nights were they could barely remember what had transpired or what they had done. They sported cuts and bruises and could walk for days on end. At night, dreams of those nights would haunt the young girls until they cried for death to overcome them.

Koriand'er would turn into one of them.

The long fingernail of the Gordanian scratched her face, opening a thin slice of skin and letting blood pour down. She winced but it was not because of the pain. It was because the Gordanian drew out his tongue and licked the ruby river that traveled from the wound to her chin. Disgusted, Koriand'er whimpered which only excited him more.

Suddenly, he took her by her hair and threw her against the wall, pouncing on her as she hit it. His teeth grazed her neck, scratching her raw. Shutting her eyes tightly, she tried to think of better times, times where she had been happy and content. Times that seemed to be so long ago. She remembered her pet smoorgle; the way he was so soft and cuddly, a perfect pet for a five year old. It had loved her and lulled her every night to sleep with its melodies, that is, until it died. It had suffered a heart malfunction and since their bodies were always kept so nice and warm by their fur, it had decomposed quickly. Koriand'er had awoken to find the smelly, now rotten body of her favorite pet. The smell stayed with her for a long time and it came back, when the smell of the Gordanian reached her nostrils and made her gag violently.

He was less than pleased by this, not liking how she had ruined his mood. He was done with games; he wanted to take away the stress. He slammed her back once more, liking the whimper that escaped her lips. He was ready for her, longing to watch as he took away yet another girl's possession. That had to be his favorite part; the pain in their eyes was always worth their inexperience.

But his thoughts were cut short as something hard slammed against his neck. There was a yelp as he crumbled to the floor, feeling the trickle of blood fall down his chest. He turned to see the culprit and before he knew it, she was standing on top of him, dark eyes full of rage and malice. Her fists slammed into his face wildly, so quickly that he had no way to know where they came from. He fought her off eventually but to his surprise, the punches and kicks only stopped momentarily. At once, she would get up from where she had been thrown to continue her merciless attacks, her screams and shouts more furious than he had ever heard.

The large Gordanian fell unconscious but even after that, she continued to deliver her blows, making sure that his face would never look again like a face but rather a mangled mess. The blood dripped from her hands as she turned to look at Koriand'er, still sitting on the floor with wide eyes and a shocked face.

"You need to start taking care of yourself," she had told her, "there is no room for weakness in this world."

Koriand'er did the only thing she could do at the moment and nodded. Komand'er wiped the blood away from her hands with the black curtains in the room and helped her sister up.

"We might as well go prepare for out whipping," she told her, ruefully adding with a dark, humorless smile, "though I doubt a whipping is all _I'll _receive."

As always, she was right. They both received a cruel beating that night. Their backs became mangled pieces of shredded skin, alive and raw. The blood that poured down their bodies pooled around their feet and while Komand'er rarely let out any signs of pain, Koriand'er did enough for both of them. She screamed, cried, cursed at them, their children, their ancestors, cried for mercy, and finally, when it was all done and through, she could cry no more.

They received a grand award for what had happened with their master. He wanted to get rid of them but he also wanted a hefty amount for them. What better way than to sell them off as subjects for experiments. Gordanians always paid lots of money for them and he could get new slaves, ones that would not fight back.

It was a dark day when the two Tamaranian girls were sold once more and for the first time in their lives, they were separated from one another. While Koriand'er cried her heart out as she watched her sister be shipped off to a hostile planet, Komand'er simply lifted her head and told her.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

"Being weak gets you nowhere."

* * *

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

It was the fifteenth time she whispered that to herself. Even though she was barely awake and could not feel any part of her body, she kept count of how many times she had said these words.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

Sixteen.

The feeling on her legs came back as she knew they would. They were always the first to wake up. She wiggled her toes and felt a sharp pain shoot up her leg.

She had pulled a muscle.

She could feel her thighs now.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

Seventeen.

Her stomach hurt, she knew that much. Her eyes opened and she looked at the white ceiling. She could move her eyes but not her head, at lest not yet. Her breathing became less labored and she sighed quietly. She wiggled her toes again, slower this time and felt the movement all throughout her legs. The feeling in her arms came back at the same time she felt her head split open.

Goody.

The headache killed her, she wanted to take something sharp and try to jab out the

pain. She couldn't do that… yet. Her hands were not working properly yet. Though there was very little light coming in, her eyes were extra sensitive for some reason. She shut them but it did not help. There seemed to be light inside her eyelids as well.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

Eighteen.

Finally, her body seemed to come alive. The pain traveled all over her body but she was used to it. This happened to her lots of times for the past three, almost four years of her life. Each new day, the drugged her, took huge amounts of blood out of her, and did things she didn't know about. She was asleep most of the time. She had accepted this as part of her life now. She knew her sister, wherever she was would be so disappointed in her but she no longer cared. Komand'er hated her anyway.

But tonight, there was something different. Tonight, her eyes itched too much. She tried to rub them but her hands itched as well. Taking a deep breath, it took all of her will to lift her hands to rub her eyes. She quickly stopped cause they hurt too much, opting instead to rub her temple.

There, on her right temple, there was a stitch, still fresh and moist. Groaning, she sighed. They must have dropped her on the way or they had dropped _something_ on her but as her fingers slid to her forehead, she felt more stitches. These were also fresh and moist with blood and who knows what else.

Her breath hitched. For a couple of seconds, she literally did not breathe. Then, as if coming back to life, her fingers frantically felt her head, the stitches leading her all around her cranium, like a map around her head. Her breathing grew heavy and her eyes widened, hurting her even more. A sob escaped her lips, and then a tear fell, burning her eyes. She could not stop crying though and after a while she realized she was crying blood, not tears. Her hands shook with anger and she could feel something wild coming to life inside of her. Her hands burned like they were on fire and her head felt as if it was going to explode any minute. She moaned loudly, in pain, in anger, with fear and the feeling of violation was evident in her cries.

The loud noises attracted the scientists who were shocked to see the Tamaranian up so quickly. This had not happened with the other subject. They slowly came into the room, to see the young woman in the middle of a panic attack. She couldn't breathe, it seemed and her eyes wildly looked around until they spotted the culprits.

"You!" she screamed wildly, "You opened me!"

She got up from the cold slab of metal she was sitting on. The world spun around her but she blinked the stars out of her eyes.

"What have you done?!"

The scientist took out their tasers, ready to defend themselves. The anger was getting the best of her and the uncomfortable feeling in her hands worsened.

This was the last time she would be subject to an experiment. They would never again spill her blood. Never again would she wake up being used to all the pain. Never again would she try to guess what all the probing was for or why so much blood was taken out of her. Never again would she feel stitches around her head---

_X'hal…they had opened her head._

A scream rang out into the night, full of fury and rage. And the world was covered by a green light

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

Nineteen.

* * *

"What's she saying?"  
"Dunno, I think its Tamaranian."

"Galfore?"

A pause.

"She needs to rest for now and so do you."

"We're not leaving her."

The voice was strong and full of conviction.

Green eyes opened to feel a slow wave of pain hitting her body, from her legs moving upward. Her head was about to split open.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

"She's saying it again," a younger voice, more high in timbre.

Beast Boy.

Her hands itched. Her head hurt. Her eyes bothered her.

_Oh X'hal!_

She jerked around, trying to get the feeling in her body back. Her limbs flung around violently but strong hands held her down. This only made her feel more panicked and she summoned her Tamaranian strength to help her. The hands that held her were thrown to the floor and though she had her eyes opened, she saw nothing. She was angry, frightened, and lost.

The voice came again, a low voice that she recognized instantly. It was Tamaranian.

"You are safe, darling. Nothing will hurt you here."

Koriand'er whimpered, closing her eyes again.

"Komand'er?'

* * *

Ok, for those who have seen 'GO', at the beginning, the episode starts with Star screaming out something...which is what I molded it into what she screams into this story. I'm not sure if it is true the exact things she says but I tried my best to put it into words.

Bye and review please.


	17. Chapter 17

I have returned! And from this chapter on, it will be different. I will try my hardest (I sincerely say this) to not make Starfire go all out of character but even fictional characters change. And that's the point of this chapter. You will find out the change is not terribly drastic but it is noticable, more so in this chapter than the others. Enjoy and review please.

* * *

"Things change--- I changed."

_--- Richard Grayson, Batman, the Animated Series, "Old Wounds."_

"Things change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory."

_---Terra, Teen Titans, "Things Change."_

All but Death, can be Adjusted—  
Dynasties repaired—  
Systems—settled in their Sockets—  
Citadels—dissolved—

Wastes of Lives—resown with Colors  
By Succeeding Springs—  
Death—unto itself—Exception—  
Is exempt from Change—

_---Emily Dickinson

* * *

The day went by without Starfire waking up again. She mumbled a few things here and there, mostly calling out her sister's name but nothing she said was in English and when she spoke in Tamaranian, most of it was mangled. She tried to get comfortable; nightmares plagued her mind as she tried to relax but her wounds prevented her from moving too much. She would moan sadly and resign to her position, a small frown working its way across her beautiful features. Still, the Titans had nothing better to do than sit and wait for her to heal. All of them were taking it hard; they hated to see one of their own hurt so much, most especially if it was Starfire. If there was ever a person in the galaxy that did not deserve such sorrow, it was her. But life was never easy, never simple as they had so obviously witnessed._

And another loop was going to be thrown their way.

The T-ship had been checked frequently for messages from Titans East, in case they needed assistance in some way and it so happened that Cyborg had decided to check it out that day. Galfore was still busy with the loose strings surrounding Starfire's victory, the Titans were gloomy and waiting, and Starfire didn't seem to be waking up any time soon so he figured he had to do _something_ to keep himself occupied. He would soon be wishing he hadn't gone check.

There was a message, an urgent message from the Titans East. Sighing, he pressed a couple of buttons n put on his earphones.

"Sparky, we got a situation here. The big baddy that you warned us about has gone on a shopping spree right under our noses. We kinda let it go for a couple of days--" Cyborg could hear on the background the sound of Speedy adding, "You mean, _you_ let it go for a cou---whaaa!" before hearing Bumblebee's voice again, irritated, "So yeah, in other words, we need help." There was a pause, then a hopeful voice added, "Hope you guys had a nice time."

Chuckling bitterly at the irony of her statement, Cyborg turned off the machine and started to make his way back to the castle, worried more than before and not wanting to tell Robin about the news. Their fearless leader was taking Starfire's condition badly. In other words, he said nothing, did very little, and ate like a supermodel. He spent most his time by Starfire's side but Cyborg couldn't blame him. Now that they were a couple (how obvious could they get?) Cyborg could see Robin struggling with his emotions.

To care or to care half to death and exhaustion, that was Robin's question.

Making his way to the room, he heard Galfore's voice echo through the halls. He moved quicker, eager to hear what the latest news was.

"What'd I miss?"

"Not much," Raven told him, allowing him to sit next to her, "He was just about to start."

"Komand'er's body will not be returned to us," Galfore said sadly, his big eyes tired and droopy. He was in desperate need for a rest.

"They are very upset at the moment. They ended up losing an already risky bet. They did not think that Koriand'er would actually---"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"But they have let her go, right?" asked Robin after he let Galfore have a minute or so.

"Yes, but they are very angry…and worried. The Citadel will ask for their slave and when they receive none… Well--- This is how intergalactic wars start."

"You mean, y'all are going to start fighting because of this?" Beast Boy asked incredulously, his ears dropping ever so slightly.

"I am not sure yet, little one, but I shall worry about that when it arrives."

"What will you tell Star about her sister's body?" Raven asked quietly, looking sadly at Galfore. She could feel his worry flare up immediately and the kind of stress he was in was astounding.

"I have no idea, Lady Raven."

"Why did Blackfire hate her so much?" Robin asked suddenly, aggravated at no one in particular but he needed an answer. Who could be so cruel enough to hurt Starfire in such a way? No matter what had happened between the two sisters, it was incredible to see just how much sadness and hatred there was in Blackfire.

"Koriand'er was very close to her sister, Robin, she has told you as much, I gather?"

They nodded, listening to Galfore intently. They needed some explanations.

"The simplicity of it all is truly frightening but how much hatred has spanned from it is what is really shocking. When in the trainings of Okaara, Koriand'er was taught to believe that outsiders were not to be trusted, that they were dangerous and could only cause trouble. The Okaaran masters are not supposed to teach this but I suppose her father, the last Grand Ruler gave this order. And Koriand'er has always been---well, you know how she is. She believed what her elders said, even though it might have gone against her heart. But Tamaran has always been her true love so she accepted what she was taught.

When Komand'er found out that her sister was being brainwashed, she tried to convert her back. Koriand'er wouldn't have it, threatening her with banishment as soon as her father changed the will and she would become the Empress of Tamaran. She wanted what was best for her people, never herself. But Komand'er saw it in a different way. I suppose years of mistrust and neglect finally caught up to her. It was, how do you say--- building up, yes? It only took one error for Koriand'er's part for Komand'er to snap.

They began to split up and never again were the halls of this castle filled with their laughter. Soon after their training, Koriand'er found out about Komand'er's plan to sell her to the Gordanians and told her parents. But it was too late. The Gordanians threatened war if they did not get the Royal heirs but the Grand Ruler had made sure not to change the will on purpose. If Koriand'er was to be enslaved, so would Komand'er. Komand'er immediately blamed their slavery on Koriand'er. Komand'er accused her sister of all the wrongs _she_ had committed but most of all, she would never forgive how Koriand'er shunned her, like everyone else. As a stranger, a dangerous foreigner, an outsider unworthy to be called Tamaranian. The betrayal never left her soul and Koriand'er never forgave herself for it."

"So she was condemned by her sister because of one mistake?" Beast Boy asked, frowning at the unfairness of it all.

"Komand'er hates weakness and she saw just how weak Koriand'er was at that time."

Galfore looked around, satisfied to see the Titans look at him disbelievingly at his statement.

"Starfire ain't weak," Cyborg said respectfully but his voice was low and defending.

"I do believe you are correct," Galfore said good-naturedly, "But the fact that Koriand'er was so gullible at that age made Komand'er disappointed. I am merely telling you my version of what transpired. I guess the only ones who could confirm this assumption is Koriand'er and Komand'er themselves."

There was a pregnant pause. They each retreated back into their minds, thinking heavily on what Galfore had just told them. Suddenly, the doors of the chamber opened with a loud bang and the Titans jumped out of their seats, looking around to see who had made such noise. The guard standing there received five angry glares from the Emperor and the Titans alike. He apologized quickly but informed Galfore of something important. The soldier thumped his chest at Galfore and left.

"If you would excuse me, I need to attend yet another exciting meeting with the elders."

With a small humorless laugh, he left the room, leaving the Titans to talk amongst themselves. After a couple of minutes, Cyborg finally remembered (amidst his arguing with Beast Boy about which Monkey Wrestling Cage Match was better, part one or part two) that he needed to tell the Titans something important.

"I got news from Titans East a few minutes ago and uh--- well, you're not really gonna like it."

Sighing, Robin sat down next to Raven and directed his attention to his fellow Titan.

"Do we ever?"

"The Titans East just informed me that our favorite villain has been wreaking silent havoc all over Jump City."

"Slade."

A single word uttered in hatred, repulsion, and loathing came out of Robin's mouth, his fists instantly clenching and his eyes automatically narrowing to slits.

"What's he been doing this time?" asked Raven, tired of hearing about Slade's new plan every couple of months after he was 'defeated.'

"I dunno for sure but Bumblebee seems to be thinking along the lines of robbery."

"Robbery?" squeaked in Beast Boy, arching a green eyebrow, "I never pictured Slade as a robber."

"I'm guessing he's not robbing your local convenience stores, though," added Raven, "Did Bumblebee tell you what's he been stealing?"

"Yeah, something about rare metals and really expensive equipment of some sort. But the point is, they need us back as soon as possible."

_Great._

Just as Robin was about to open his mouth to argue, complain, or plainly just voice his sheer annoyance, there was a crash in the inner chamber where Starfire was currently resting.

* * *

"Komand'er."

Starfire opened her eyes blearily, blinking away the sleep from her eyes. She was lost for a second or so, looking around the ceiling for a mark or a sign to tell her where she was. She whispered a name, a name she knew to be someone she had loved. She could still hear her voice, low and sensual. A smile spread across her lips but it slowly turned into a painful grimace. The memories soon came back, slowly and tauntingly, and she groaned softly. The pain had been non-existent up to the moment but it maliciously came back to her, at once, and spread throughout her entire body. She winced slightly, biting her cracked and dry lips at the feeling. He body screamed with hurt but at the same time, she instantly felt thirsty. Knowing well that her sister was not with her anymore, Koriand'er groaned with the realization. She tried to lick her chapped lips and she thought it would be best to get some fluids inside of her. Looking around, she spotted a glass of water sitting next to her bed.

Tentatively, she sat up and rested on her elbow, her other hand reaching for the glass. She struggled to keep her balance as the word spun around her but the more she struggled, the more her vision became blurry. Suddenly, the glass turned into one big white light and she felt her arm give way to her weight. She felt her fingers touch a cool surface and heard the shattering of the glass on the floor.

Almost instantly, the door to her chamber slammed opened. Robin, ever so agile, was next to her in a couple of long strides, helping her lay down once more. Too dizzy to fight him off, she let him but for some reason she didn't want him to help her. _She could lay down on the bed by herself; she wasn't a child._ He spoke soothingly to her and even though it did calm her nerves, the angrier she got because of it.

"I am all right, Robin," she said huskily, annoyed at his antics but immediately regretted feeling this way, "I was just thirsty…"

Beast Boy immediately went to get her another cup of water as the Titans came to stand by her bed. She looked at them tiredly, not wanting company but at the same time, needing her friends by her side.

They stood quiet until Beast boy brought her back the water and Robin helped her sit up once more. Again, that strange feeling settled upon her and she wished for nothing more than for Robin to leave her be. _She could sit up perfectly fine by herself_. She said nothing though and instead drank her water gratefully. She looked at her hands as they settled on her lap. They were bandaged as was the rest of her body. She looked like the mummified bodies in Egypt, something she had learned and had been obsessed with for long period of time back on Earth. She could feel the injuries as they stabbed her senses but to see where the injuries were was a different thing. She looked like she was been put through a shredder and then put back together roughly. The bandages seemed to hold her body together but she knew this was just an illusion. The fight might have been violent but she had never been outmatched.

_Don't think about it. Don't remember. Don't recall the cries or the words._

The smell was still around her, though, heavy and acidic. The words echoed inside her head, like a song you heard once before and suddenly woke up one day with the song playing in your head.

"You need more rest," Raven said suddenly, elegantly sweeping over to her and touching her forehead. She felt her gentle touch and warmth passed over her body. It came as quickly as it went and Starfire wished she would have remained. The pain hadn't been so hard to endure for those couple of seconds.

Raven nodded to confirm her previous statement and looked at her through her heavy eyelashes and thick eyeliner.

"I know it's the last thing you want to do but you need to go back to sleep. The more rest you get, the quicker you will heal."

"I don't feel sleepy," Starfire sighed, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. Then again, she thought sadly, she didn't want to remain awake and remember either.

But remember she did.

And everyone noticed the tears as they began to fill her eyes.

"We'll stay with you until you fall asleep again," Beast Boy said softly, turning into a small furry cat and nuzzling his wet nose against her chest. Smiling through teary eyes, she nodded and started scratching him between his ears. He purred happily, wagging his tail and meowed contently.

While Raven and Cyborg tried not to laugh at Robin's half jealous, half disturbed face, Starfire forced herself to seek sleep.

* * *

The feelings of guilt hit her at full force when she woke up a couple of hours later. The Titans were no longer there and she could tell by the moonlight seeping through her window that it was night. She was wrapped in a heavy blanket, tucked in comfortably on her bed but that only made things worse. She cried that night, silently at first, tears of pure, undiluted sadness that seemed to grip her hear gently. Its presence made itself known and that was what hurt her so much.

To know that her sister was no longer alive brought many miserable tears out of bright green eyes.

Then, a sob escaped her and the quiet grief left her to be replaces by something else.

Guilt overcame her, making her body convulse with misery and sorrow. Her breathing was ragged and gasps for air through her weeping were harsh. The soft pillow beneath her soon became soggy but she was too miserable to care.

Images replayed themselves through her memory; words that were spoken made no sense and at the same time made perfect sense. And suddenly, out of the dark cloud of confusion and angst she felt, one thing stood out.

Komand'er had fought violently, yes, that had been evident. But after a while, near her death, she had practically asked to be killed. Komand'er was not the type to beg; she was too proud. But as always, Komand'er found other ways to get what she wanted. She had been an extremely intelligent being, taught by experiences and life matters themselves.

Koriand'er strained back to remember, through all the hits and kicks and all the feeling of repent, she found what she was looking for.

"_Do you wish to know how our parents died?"_

Those words had come suddenly. Her sister's beautiful eyes had widened with an idea, a trait she remembered from their younger days. Back then, it had meant and adventure was going to ensue.

"_Do it," she whispered harshly, her voice croaking out the words, "End it now."_

Komand'er could have attacked her from the position Koriand'er held her in. But she had opted to encourage Koriand'er to destroy her. In fact, the words she said after had only made Koriand'er angrier, letting her lose control of her powers. Only Komand'er, who also shared this type of power, could know how to do this to her.

Komand'er had _wanted_ to die.

Koriand'er lay awake, no longer weeping but staring off into the brick wall. Her sister had wished to be dead but a slave had little or no option on how to die. Komand'er had found an honorable way to die. She could have easily have done something wrong for the Gordanians and they would have seen to it that she was beaten to death. She could have done what the other slaves did and commit suicide. But she had found her way out through Koriand'er.

The realization made Koriand'er confused and more miserable. Her sister had endured through a lot and had still surged on through it all. Though they had never talked about it, Koriand'er would have thought Komand'er would abhor the thought of something as weak as suicide. To give up one's life because it got too much to handle was not one of Komand'er's values. So what had happened to her sister to lose her fighting spirit? What had been done to her this time? What cruelty had caused her to finally give in to it all?

She sighed quietly, her head aching from how much she cried and she wished morning would come quickly. The more she remained awake, the more she thought. Questions about her powers, her new life, and Tamaran swirled in her head. Who was she now that she became a murder? She possibly couldn't be the same Koriand'er she had once been and for certain, she could no longer be the Starfire the team knew and loved. Would they note the difference? Would they shun her now that she ranked among the lines of the every villain they went after daily?

What would Robin think?

Since when had she been able to withhold so much power? Well, that was a stupid question. Ever since she had unleashed her destruction upon the Gordanians, she knew the powers in her were great. They were powered by the sun itself but the sun from Tamaran was different. It was not as powerful as the one on Earth. But all suns were balls of pure energy and it seemed the sun that rested in the Milky Way, the Earth's sun, was stronger in potency. On top of that, her emotions were not easy for Koriand'er. She relied on her natural happiness to keep her well. Since she left the Gordanians, Koriand'er had never felt so many strong emotions in so little time. Not with Val-yor, not with any of the villains though Slade came pretty close to driving her wild with anger. But she didn't know she could withhold so much power. She would be very excited to have known this information if she had only discovered it a different way.

She felt different. Outward and inward.

Robin had annoyed her today. Why she didn't know.

She hadn't been glad for her friends' company. Again, she had no idea why.

Her body was changed; her hair had been cut off (by Galfore probably) and was now up to her shoulders. The smell of burnt skin still hung around the air and she was sure it had penetrated her pores. Her eyes were no longer shining with the happiness and joy they had always possessed. She felt like something had drastically changed in her, evident for her to feel and notice but was it obvious to everyone else? How could she not change after all she had been through?

She was different.

Wasn't she?

* * *

"So what are we going to do?" Raven asked, her question left in the air to linger and be pondered. The team had awoken bright and early the next day; the heat once again was unbearable and though the rest of the citizens of Tamaran happily went outside half undressed, the Titans thought it best to stay inside the cool walls of the palace. Besides, they were too preoccupied to enjoy the weather (or the sights).

"A few of us could go back, see what he's up to," Cyborg suggested, throwing ideas around.

"Nah, if Boy Wonder here can barely handle him, we'll get our butts handed to us for sure."

Beast Boy successfully destroyed that idea.

"So what do we do?"

That question came up again.

"Do about what?"

The team whipped around toward the weary but recognizable voice. Starfire stood in the door, leaning one delicate hand against it for support. She had taken a few bandages off, the team noticed, and hadn't bothered to put them back on.

"You wanna sit?" Cyborg asked her while walking toward her but before she could respond, he had already picked her up gently in his arms and brought her to a chair. Starfire tried not to get aggravated by the whole thing so she kept quiet. She smiled at Cyborg, thanking him but the smile was strained and she bit out the thanks.

"What were you guys saying?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," Robin told her in his leader voice, waving her question away.

"I do worry," she answered him back defiantly, "I want to know what the matter is."

"Seriously Star, it's nothing too bad…"

Starfire looked at Beast Boy through hooded eyes, making Beast Boy laugh nervously under her stare.

"There's a small problem back on Earth," Cyborg said carefully, looking at the young alien thoughtfully, "But we'll be able to handle it."

Starfire looked around the team, her eyes resting on Raven's for a while. Raven was looking at her differently, as if searching for something… or someone. Koriand'er tore her gaze away from her and instead looked at Robin. She could easily recognize that frown on his forehead, the intensity in his masked eyes, and the tight line his lips formed.

"It's Slade, isn't?"

No one was really surprised that she had figured it out. Starfire wasn't slow and she certainly was not fooled by their poor act. She sighed wearily at the news and looked around them expectantly.

"When do we leave?"

The Titans looked around to each other. They really hadn't expected to leave so quickly, much less for her to be the one to mention it.

"You still need to heal properly," Robin started but Starfire waved his comment away.

"Tamaranians heal quicker than humans."

"But don't you want to stay for a while longer?" asked Beast Boy curiously, his green eyes narrowing at her.

"For what purpose?"

Unable to truly think of a response for this question, Beast Boy kept quiet. It was Raven who spoke next, her voice as clam as always but there was a strange underlying to it, a sense of inquisitiveness that borderlines suspicion.

"You have just gone through a very traumatic experience Star. Don't you think you should take it easy?"

Starfire looked at her hands, unbandaged and looking raw and red, the dark orange skin peeling to reveal new, fresh looking healthy skin.

"No, I need to leave this place at once. I will heal at home, on Earth, at Titans' Tower."

The Titans said nothing. It was hard to argue with her at such a sensitive time but they found nothing horrible about the prospect. They would take care of her if anything happened and what she had said was true. As a Tamaranian, she did heal pretty quickly and it would be best if she was away from things that reminded her of what had transpired.

"All right, then. We'll go speak to Galfore at once."

She nodded and stood up, leading the way to the Grand Chamber where Galfore would be. Robin walked next to her, dangerously close to her body and leaned in.

"Once we get back to the Tower, you will leave the fight to us, you understand?"

His voice was not his leader tone nor was it Robin speaking. It was Richard in all seriousness and preoccupation. But when Starfire spoke, it was someone else, someone he had not met.

"You will not be the one to tell me what to do."

She walked on, leaving a very confused and quite shocked Robin behind.

* * *

Please review this sunburned girl's story.


	18. Chapter 18

You will not believe how much I kicked myself for taking such a big risk and trying to change character that I did not even create. I was truly going to erase the last chapter, that was how scared I was. I thought about it on the E train on my way to school while sitting next to a bum and thought, 'Well, I don't want to quit if things get rough. That's the whole point of reviews. The readers will tell you if you go too far." So I have decided to go on with it.

One announcement: I have decided to change this story into a rating of M. Not now but soon. Mainly becuase of future scenes of gore and violence but also because of sexual scenes. However, I will tell you the chapter before if anything gets too steamy and the steamy parts will be a seperate chapter so if you don't want to read it, you don't have to. Yay.

* * *

"And these children that you spit on

As they try to change their worlds,

are immune to your consultations.

Their quite aware of what they are going through..."

---David Bowie

Galfore had put up quite a fight in order to convince Koriand'er to stay. He was very close to exploding with rage as it was obvious by the way he shook when he spoke to her. He was more than angry; he was a volcano of fury. However, Koriand'er merely stood her ground and argued her case with the same fury her Gnorfka showed. In fact, the Titans had never seen her so passionate before. She was infuriated, furious to be told what to do. She held her caretaker's gaze without a flinch or care of what he may think of her. Even he, the one person who could honestly say, without any hesitation of any sort, that he knew the young woman was in awe by the way she acted. She was not one to challenge authority in such a way and had always been the first to comply with rules. Even when her own sister had gone out of her way to break them, Koriand'er knew the limit between playing around and listening to your elders. But this Koriand'er that stood before him, with her fists clenched until her skin turned white and a fury of green in her eyes, was different.

Galfore could not help but be surprised. However, in all reality, he should have been expecting it. One does not walk away from such a traumatic event without any effect. Especially when one is a Tamaranian, unafraid to show emotion of any sort, and Koriand'er was all Tamaranian.

"I have made my decision, Galfore. I will not remain here any longer. _I simply cannot_."

Galfore sighed loudly, stressfully. He rubbed his eyes with massive hands and looked at her wearily through his fingers.

"I can see I cannot change your mind, Koriand'er so I will not even attempt it. But please, take time to heal on Earth... and I don't mean just your physical injuries."

Koriand'er lowered her eyes to the ground for a moment, as if mulling it over but quickly raised them up again, thrusting her fist against her chest and leaving the room. Galfore looked at the door she slammed on the way out, his mind bogged down by the new presence in her. He wasn't sure whether to say that the Koriand'er he knew was gone or if this person had always been there, just dormant for all this time. Perhaps it was a little of both. He wouldn't get the chance to know, nonetheless. She had informed him, rather brusquely, that she and her teammates were leaving that very day, as soon as possible. That had been the main reason he had gotten so angered. She had only a few days of recovery and already she was thinking of going into crime fighting once more.

It was not as if he did not know who she was on Earth. He knew very well just what her occupation was and he did not like it one bit; most especially when she was so eager to jump into danger after what she had just gone through. It seemed brash, unthoughtful; so unlike the Koriand'er he knew.

But that was becoming evident.

Even Koriand'er noticed the change in herself. She felt awful after snapping at Richard, something she knew she shouldn't have done. She knew it was not his fault; he was trying to take care of her, just as always. But that was the thing: She did not need to be taken care of. She could defend herself quite fine by herself.

_She was not weak._

And she was tired of people making it seem as if she was. That was all going to end as of that very moment. She wasn't a princess on top of a tower waiting to be rescued by her prince charming. Nor did she want to be this person. She wanted everyone to see that she was Koriand'er, Princess of Tamaran, with the blood of Royals and warriors, the spirit of a fighter, a soldier.

She strode into the hallway with the Titans following behind her. She told them to prepare to leave as soon as possible; Galfore had cleared their way and had informed the proper authorities about their departure. The Titans nodded and got busy, packing up their belongings and getting he ship ready. All of them helped, all except Robin who had dragged Koriand'er to the small balcony on the Eastern side of the palace. Beneath the scorching sun, he looked at her through hooded eyes. She let him, unwavering against his stare.

"What's happened, Kori?"

She looked back at him, her eyes softening slightly when she caught his fallen face. He was trying to search her face, her eyes, her lips, any sign to let him know she was the same person. He could find her, she was still there, he was sure of this but there was someone else in her as well. She was upgraded, like a new installation one adds to the computer. It's still the same program but perhaps it's better, faster, and more reliable. Koriand'er was the same but with a new spirit, a new attitude, and though Robin had not decided whether he liked it or not, he needed to get her answers.

"To me?" she asked with a raise eyebrow, "I lived."

He didn't say anything to that comment. After a moment, he spoke again.

"I realize that after what happened one is not the same. I mean, how could you be? But Kori... this doesn't mean you have to change completely."

"Change is not always bad, Richard," she told him harshly, the glare of the sun disturbing her a little or was it his glare?

"And anyway, who has said I have changed? Maybe I have always been this way. Maybe you just never noticed."

That made Robin narrow his eyes at her and small frown line appeared in his forehead. This was a sign of annoyance.

"Kori," he said warningly, "I will accept the fact that you feel different. And I'll be there for you when you need me but... don't push me or the rest of the team away. That I will simply not accept."

"I don't need you to accept what I decide to do, Richard," she bristled, "I am very capable of making my own decisions. I'm not a child anymore."

"No, you're not. But you're not acting like an adult either."

This time it was Koriand'er who narrowed her eyes inquisitively.

"How am I not acting like an adult?"

Robin sighed, the sun burning the flesh on his back and arms.

"Just because your sister may have said things that you feel may be true does not mean that they are. There are things we do not know abut ourselves that others can easily see. _You _have proven that with me."

"What are you saying..."

"I know what your sister thought of you," he said carefully, his voice unthreateningly, "How she saw you..."

Her eyes fell at this, her hands nervously coming together in front of her. A piece of strand flew across her face, hiding the pain on her face.

"She may have seen you as weak but Kori, you prove time and time again, every time we go into battle with Plasmus or Slade, that you are incredibly brave, sometimes even too fearless for your own safety."

He brushed the hair away, tucking it behind her small but well shaped ear and letting his fingers caress their way down her chin, lifting it up. Her eyes were dry but shining with the light of the sun.

"You don't need to prove you valor by pushing your friends away from you or your family."

"I understand what you're saying, Richard, " she started softly, "But there's a part of me that will never go back to the way I was."

Robin smiled at that, pinching her cheek gently.

"That's ok. You don't need my approval of who you feel you are. Just know that the Titans and I will always be there, no matter who you are."

She giggled suddenly, a sound he had not heard for what seemed to be centuries, a ghost of the old Koriand'er.

"You sound like a television special."

"I get that a lot lately."

Koriand'er sighed, her eyes gazing nowhere in particular, unfocused. When she spoke, her words held meaning but she was somewhere far away.

"I don't know who I will become or if I will even like the new person shedding inside of me but… if there's one thing I will not allow is that I will not push you or the Titans away."

She returned her gaze to him, strongly holding his own.

"My loyalty lies with you."

She nodded to confirm her words and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his lithe body and hiding her face in his neck. She felt him tense instantly but just as soon he relaxed and felt strong arms surround her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she breathed him in, trying to push away the feeling of weakness coming over her. She felt safe in his arms but he would not always be there to help her fight her own demons. This is what Komand'er had hated about her; her need for comfort, the known, the safety of someone or something.

The unknown frightened her.

And she was on the verge of becoming the unknown.

* * *

Koriand'er apologized to Galfore for causing so much trouble and acting so selfishly. Galfore, of course, wouldn't hear it and embraced his Bongorf tenderly, stroking her hair and wishing her a safe trip home. He accompanied them all the way to their ship, giving her another hug before she climbed into the T-ship and telling her how much he loved her in Tamaranian. Koriand'er blinked back tears as she let go of his hand, making her way to the ship. She climbed on and watched as the Titans also said their good-byes and gave Galfore their thanks.

They too climbed onto the ship and through her earphones she heard them speaking to each other, getting ready to launch. However, she kept her eyes on her world, the beautiful palace where she had once called home and had once held so many incredible memories.

They held nothing now.

Galfore slammed his fist into his chest as the T-ship took off, carrying the once future Empress of Tamaran, the one who would lead them into greatness and glory, the one who was now broken by life.

The world became smaller and smaller still, its beautiful houses and people becoming small dots in the pink and purple clouds until the planet itself became a ball of fluorescent colors. It became one of the many planets around them and soon, Starfire looked away. She left herself behind, shedding her skin of who she had once been and became someone else.

The stars around her winked at her knowingly, as if they knew a secret she did not. Cyborg spoke through the earphones, informing them of something but she wasn't quite listening. A million things went through her head. The Gordanians were still a major threat to her people. Angered by the fact their plan had not gone the way they wanted, they would try to wreak havoc once more. However, she didn't think it would be them this time. It would the Citadel that would see to the fact that both the Gordanians and the Tamaranians would suffer. And this thought scared her endlessly.

She had brought so much suffering to her people, without meaning to, just by existing. They had almost been caught in a war between the Gordanians and the Citadel once, because of a mistake on her part; the only way they got out of it was by selling their Royal heirs. Still, they had ultimately lost their rulers as well as the heirs and had been living through the guidance of the elders who didn't know how to rule such a large planet.

Then Blackfire had taken over and though her reign was over before she could cause damage, it scared her to think that her planet was vulnerable for so long. At least with Galfore they were safe. The economy was doing incredible and she knew Galfore was loved throughout the Northern and the Southern Kingdom. The planet had been doing excellently.

But then she had come again, only to mess thing up once again. Tamaran could now be facing the prospect of war once more. And it was because of her.

Her restless eyes shifted to the small planet of Earth, so noticeable by the beautiful blues and whites of the planet's oceans and clear skies, as it came closer and closer. It looked clean and beautiful, sparkling against the other darker planets surrounding it.

"We're home, you guys," said Cyborg happily, looking at Earth with great comfort. Starfire nodded, her own eyes lit by the shimmering planet.

"Home."

* * *

After hours of being on the T-ship and spending a long time (they didn't know just how much time they had been on Tamaran yet) on a strange planet, the Titans were incredibly glad to be home. Raven quickly went to her room, saying a quick hello to Titans East but more eager to take a nice long shower. Beast Boy and Cyborg went into the living room, hugging and kissing the game station and quickly setting it up to play a game of 'Revolution of the Soldier." Bumblebee rolled her eyes at them and was about to tease them when Robin grabbed hold of her, basically dragging her to the crime computer. He had changed into more comfortable clothes, a simple green t-shirt and comfortable pants but without bothering to eat or even greeting them properly, he started talking about the problem with Slade.

While he and Bumblebee conversed, Speedy and Mas y Menos came up to Starfire, smiling amiably at her.

"Como estas? Te vez muy bien, Starfire," said Menos, his eyes shining with little hearts. He was pushed aside by his brother who looked up at her like a puppy.

"Si, te vez increible. Claro, siempre te vez hermosa."

Speedy pushed both of them aside, rolling his eyes at them. Though Starfire smiled at them and nodded incomprehensibly, she wished she could escape them and just go to her room.

"Anyway," said Speedy, his handsome face smiling at her, "You had fun? I like what you did to you hair, by the way."

Starfire looked at him wearily, not knowing how to answer. Part of her wanted to snap at him, tell him to leave her alone, but she knew he had no fault in asking such a normal question. She smiled at him and said it had been an interesting trip and quickly excused herself. She left a disappointed Speedy behind but she didn't care. She wanted to get to her room and lock herself in.

She flew to her chamber and found Silkie near the door. He smiled happily at her, making gurgling noises and whimpering for her to pick him up. She did, stroking him gently and hugging him. His soft skin gave her comfort and the way he radiated his love for his caretaker made her warm inside. Stepping into the room, she regarded the things around her.

Nothing had changed.

Her things were the exact same way she had left them. It was as if time had not touched her belongings. As if life had not touched her part as Starfire on Earth.

She felt like a stranger in her own room.

Putting Silkie down, she made her way to her drawer. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was shocked to find her looking as she always did.

Her hair was still short but it framed her face nicely. There were no signs on her face to let people know what she had gone through. Her body was still injured and if you looked closely, you could see the stitches and the skin-colored bandages she had. But if anyone was to look at her, you would not see jus what she had gone through.

The mirror merely reflected what it saw and nothing more. Starfire saw everything else.

Sighing, she turned around, not wanting to look at her reflection any more. She saw her bed neatly made up, her shoes still by the foot of the bed, Silkie's food bowl was still by her closet, and everything was neat and tidy. The only thing that had changed were her curtains.

She walked up to them and was amazed at what had happened to them. They were no longer the incredible vivid color of purple as she had once left them. The color had faded, bled away by the harsh rays of the sun. The color was still very beautiful, perhaps even more beautiful than before. It was a couple of shades darker but it had lost it's the brilliance that brighter colors held. It was a more haunting shade of violet, different but with traces of what it had once been. The sun had taken its toll on the useless curtains and nothing could change them back into what they had once been.

She touched the fabric, still soft and still velvety.

And without any warning or hesitation, she angrily tore the curtain down from their holdings, making it crash to the floor along with her, sobbing relentlessly. The tears fell to the folds of the ripped curtains, useless now that they were damaged.

She sobbed for all the times she would not permit herself to cry again. She cried for all the times she knew she would want to cry but she would never again do it. She wailed for all the things she had gone through, all the things she would go through, and the worthlessness of shedding tears. It would not change anything. It would not help anything.

So she cried until she could cry not more.

* * *

Titans East said their good byes to the Titans. Though Cyborg had offered them a ride back, Bumblebee declined.

"You have more important things to worry about, boy-o,"

Unable to argue with this, Cyborg let it go and said good bye, thanking them for their help. Robin had gone into his leader role and called a briefing the next morning. He allowed them to sleep for that night and though the Titans knew he would stay up late, they could tell he was just as tired as they were.

Starfire stayed with Robin in the Common Room, watching a movie she had found while flipping through the channels. She did not feel sleepy though her body felt exhausted. Robin had said nothing about it, either too immersed in his work or letting her have her space or perhaps both. At around one in the morning, Robin felt his eyes drooping with sleep so he decided to call it a night. He turned the computer off and the other only light source was the television. He sneaked in a glance at Starfire who was wide awake and watching the program. However, her eyes were not really focusing on the movie. In fact, he had a feeling she was not really there at all.

He walked up to her, sitting next to her and keeping his eyes on her face. She didn't notice him or even acknowledge him. He kept staring at her now changed face. Her once long hair now reached her shoulders but they curled around her face, as if attracted to the soft skin. She looked older this way but at the same time, she looked even more innocent than before. Her eyes, though, gave her away. They held more than they had once held.

Finally noticing Robin, she turned to face him, a small questioning frown on her forehead.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously, her eyes slowly refocusing on his face. He shook his head nonchalantly, smiling at her. She reluctantly smiled back, her eyes lingering on his face as she turned back to the screen.

"You're not tired?" he asked her quietly, as if his voice would carry all the way to the Titans' rooms.

She shook her head, still facing the television.

"You?"

"A little," he admitted, leaning back on the couch and closing his eyes, "We have a long day tomorrow."

She sighed.

"I know."

He blearily opened one eye to look at her and found her looking back.

"You don't have to fight…"

"Robin," she said warningly and successfully cut him off.

"I'm just saying---it's ok to take some time off."

"Would you?"

He gave her a reproachful look and lied. That got her to smile and lean back against him, telling him what a bad liar he was. His hand curled around her shoulder and began to stroke her hair, successfully lulling her into a state of drowsiness.

"I do not feel like myself, Richard."

"I know," he mumbled sleepily, speaking into her hair, "I guess it's one of those things you just can't help."

"What made you change?" she asked suddenly, maybe because she wasn't all really there or maybe because a part of her wanted to know, "You were once so carefree and happy. What happened to make you change?"

She felt him sigh deeply and heard his heart beat speed up. She tightened her hold on him, to give him strength. He stood quite for a couple of moments and she scared that maybe he wasn't going to respond to her question. When he spoke, his voice was different, serious and sad.

"There was a moment when I saw or rather, I _felt_ something in me snap. I was being treated like a kid, like I was too young to see things for what they truly are. And some part of me understands this, you know, that I am too young to comprehend some things about the world. I do. But what Batman used to do--- he used to treat me like I was completely clueless."

He paused, the rumbling on his chest ceased, and he gave another sigh, more frustrated than anything else.

"You know, grown-ups think they have everything figured out because they've lived longer or seen more things or lived through so much more. What they don't understand is that they have their minds so cluttered with so many experiences that they can't see clearly anymore. Batman suppressed me too much, to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I called it quits."

Starfire raised her head to look at him but he had his eyes closed and he continued to speak.

"I was fifteen when I left him. We didn't part on bad terms, mind you. He's a stubborn son of a---but I respect him a lot. He taught me everything I know, gave me a home and a family, you know. As a mentor, he was incredible. As a father figure, he wasn't half bad---but as Batman, he was insufferable."

They lay there comfortably, letting his words linger in the air.

"Change is inevitable," he said quietly, as if sharing a secret, "you just have to make sure that whoever you change into is still you, just an evolution of who you once were."

She nodded, closing her eyes and letting the beat of his heart lull her to sleep. He kept stroking her shoulder, feather-light touches against her skin and she couldn't remember when they stopped.

She had fallen asleep.

* * *

Starfire was awoken by a cry of alarm followed by a loud thump. She opened her eyes and looked at Richard, sitting up on the floor and rubbing his elbow.

"You pushed me off," he said indignantly at her, causing her to laugh at his face. They had fallen asleep on the couch and had slid into a more comfortable position next to each other. But the small couch was not meant for two people to sleep next to each other and besides, Richard took up a lot of space.

Starfire apologized and got up. It was still dark but the clock on the wall read three thirty in the morning. She helped Richard to his feet, letting him brush himself off. Hands clasped, they walked through the halls of Titans' tower, content to be back home. At her door, just like before, he kissed her good-night. It had been too long since they had shared such a kiss, so passionate and full of feeling. He pushed her against the door, whispering confessions of how frightened he had been to lose her. Even if he didn't really show it, he made sure he showed it to her that night. They wouldn't go _that_ far, not yet anyway. He didn't think they were up that yet. Starfire still was confused about what she was going through and she needed to find herself before she could be with him in such a way. And for that, she was grateful.

But she did allow him to show her how much he cared for her, how scared he was to lose her, and let him whisper sweet nothings in her ear. With him, she felt as before but at the same time, she was not unafraid to show her new skin. With him, she knew she could be who she truly was, whether she was still confused about it or not.

The door shut quietly behind them.

* * *

It was strange to believe that the Titans followed their morning ritual as always. Raven woke up early to meditate with the rising sun, Beast Boy slept in through the morning, waking up at the most indecent hour he could get away with, and Cyborg was up as early as he could to go check and repair his car. Richard woke up to rub the sun away from his face, something he wasn't used to at all. He liked his room dark and somber and the sun light rarely touched his sensitive eyes. He blocked the light with his hand and looked around. He found instantly that this was not his room. When he looked who he was asleep next to, he knew definitely that this was not his room.

She was still fully clothed underneath the covers, sleeping peacefully next to him, facing him with a peaceful face. He smiled and suddenly the sun didn't bother him that much. He lay back down, incredibly comfortable in her bed. He took time to look at her innocent face, noticing the small frown that had begun to form. He sincerely hoped it was not another nightmare as he had found out last night. She would get a small crease on her face and start mumbling in Tamaranian, whispering her parent's name, Galfore's, and her sister's. He would toss and turn but never wake up, something that was even worse than if she violently woke up, scared and frightened. Instead, she was forced to relieve memories without the comfort of coming back to the real world.

The frown went away but her eyes slowly opened, letting the green irises be seen. It was like watching the rising of the sun as she blinked once, twice, and finally opened them to look at him. She smiled contently, letting her hand trace his chest before shuffling closer to him. He let her, letting his arm rest across the curve of her waist. His shirt lay somewhere on the floor, disregarded by the happenings of the night and she wished he would go on shirtless more often. His skin was warm with sleep, his breathing steady and slow. This was a perfect beginning to the day.

The night before hadn't been bad either.

She blushed instantly as she thought back. Though Richard was never dispassionate about his feelings for her, she never knew him to be so…ardent in his touch. And he had touched. And felt. And caressed.

His mouth and lips had driven her to the brink of losing control, something she desperately wanted to do and at the same time, she didn't. He knew this as well and like the prince charming that he was, he stopped before things got too far.

But he had certainly left her wanting more.

After a couple of minutes or resting with each other, Richard shifted slightly, giving her a wordless hint. It was time to start the day.

She groaned softly, not wanting to let him go but she did, ever so reluctantly. He smiled, giving her a peck that she could have turned into something more. He caught on to her plans and chuckled against her slowly moving lips, reprimanding her jokingly for her plan. She stuck out her tongue at him and huffed.

Laughing, he searched around for his shirt and found it laying a few feet away from him. As he put on his shirt, she took her time to stare at his well defined muscles, formed by countless of battles and training hours. He was without a mask and she knew if he walked out in such a form, she would have to fight off hoards of love-sick girls throwing themselves at Richard. He was very handsome; his face was very easy on the eyes and not to mention his strong body which had grown out of its compacted frame and into a man's body.

"Enjoying the sight?"

She blushed, making her turn away from him embarrassedly.

"Tease," she mumbled into her pillow. She heard him chuckle deeply and suddenly felt his lips on her back, letting a shiver run up her spine. He had a way with her that she found amazing. He knew exactly what spots needed attention and he made sure he gave them attention. The hairs on her neck stood up and his tongue ran over it, making his way to her lips. She turned around completely and they kissed passionately. Without a second thought, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him against her, letting his weight knock her breath out. She wrapped soft legs around him, wearing nothing but her underwear and letting her smooth legs caress his waist. He groaned against her lips, leaving wet trails across her neck and chest. She arched her neck to let him have as much access to her as he could. She could feel his own need for her, matching her own and wished for nothing more than for the damn clothes to cease existing. His hands traveled up her stomach, underneath her shirt to touch the downy skin that lay there like undiscovered treasure. Her moans were not held back and she certainly did not hold back from getting what she wanted. She tangled her hands in his hair, pushing him lower into her chest, willing to lose herself into him.

_It had been too long._

It wasn't long before the shirt had been discarded once again and their breathing became labored. They had reached this verge the night before but neither of them was willing to stop that morning.

They didn't have to.

Someone else did.

The alarm around the Tower began to go off and Raven's voice came through the intercom.

"It's Slade."

* * *

I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed this story cause it means a lot. The whole point of writing fiction is for others to enjoy it as well as the one who writes it. Tha said, I'd like to thank some individuals.

IAmTheBattleMaiden- I like your weird reviews so please keep on. LOL. But you're right, I like to think that even fictional characters have to undergo some change, you know. That's what's happened with her but let me tell you something. It is terrifying to take it into your own hands to change a character you did not create.

Flames of the Sun- I read your story and I swear to everything that you made me feel so little in comparison. Weird, isn't? But yeah, sunburn definitely sucks. I have this healthy color on my face and body but since its winter here in New York, I can't show it off and more annoying, people look at me funny for being sunburned in the middle of winter.

Cartoonstar- Thanks. And you're right; she doesn't take shit, as she shouldn't.

Thanks to all of you, again.


	19. Chapter 19

Hey dudes!

* * *

"The first sigh of love is the last of wisdom."

_---Antoine Bret_

They do not love that do not show their love. The course of true love never did run smooth. Love is a familiar. Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.

_---William Shakespeare_

With the mood successfully ruined, the two teenagers put on their uniform and went straight to the Common Room from where Raven had called them from. The rest of the Titans were already there and when Starfire and Robin entered the room, they received a couple of strange looks and raised eyebrows before focusing on the problem.

"Where was he spotted?" Robin asked instantaneously, going over to the computer to check out the reports himself.

"Well, it's not really him, per say," said Beast Boy reluctantly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Slade was seen in three places tonight, all at around the same time."

"His robots," concluded Robin, nodding at the screen where it was indicated exactly where the machines had been robbing. Two of them were laboratories while the other was a high security vault. The two laboratories had been turned upside down and inside out until one single thing was stolen in each: a large vat of adamantium, a rare and indestructible metal that was virtually impossible to destroy. This vat had been huge and under the most guarded protection in the state. Yet, the robots had managed to get away with a large amount of this melted metal. The next place the robots hit were the security vault in a secure location, one that very few people knew about. It rested underneath a place called S.T.A.R. Labs where the Titans went in case of any life or death matter or when they needed answers to problems any other doctor could not give them. After all, superheroes with strange and peculiar abilities needed doctors who could understand them… or at least try. Needless to say, what had been stolen were grave things indeed: two disks containing all sorts of information from the Teen Titans as well as Titans East.

"You see the danger in that last item, right?"

Robin turned to face Cyborg with worried eyes, nodding. Cyborg had been built at S.T.A.R. Labs and by far, he was the one who knew the place more intimately.

"Those disks had _everything_ about each one of us. Our DNA signature, specific information about our powers, our weaknesses, everything from we are vulnerable to up to what foods and drinks we like."

"Whatever Slade is planning this time, it cannot be in our favor," said Beast Boy quietly, shaking his head.

"We need to come up with a plan," said Robin seriously, facing the screen once again, "and whatever we do, we need to do it fast. We've already fallen behind on his plans."

The Titans agreed to this and waited for their leaders to give them instructions. After a moment, Robin sighed and faced them with a clear head.

"Raven, I need you to go and get the videos from the security cameras at the S.T.A.R. Lab."

She nodded and lifted her hands into the air, her cloak swinging from her body like water and shadows overcame and engulfed her in the shape of the bird she was named after.

"Beast Boy and Cyborg, I need you two to go to the labs and do the same as Raven. I'm more than sure that Slade left clues behind for us to unravel so ask witnesses what they saw that moment."

They agreed and walked out of the rooms, talking amongst themselves.

"Someone will need to stay in the Tower in case Slade decides to pay us a call," said Robin carefully, his eyes reaching for Starfire's. She narrowed them at him, knowing well what he was saying.

"You said you wouldn't…"

"I know what I said," responded Robin, irritated, "but I'm giving you an important assignment."

"Where will you go?" Starfire asked suspiciously as he began to walk out of the room.

"Back to the old haunt."

The doors shut behind him with a quiet swish.

* * *

The place had anything but good memories. The old, stingy, deserted warehouse was nothing but piles of ruble nowawadays. The gears and panes that had made up the once sinister place where he had been held was falling apart, old and decaying. He could still feel the desperation that ran through his veins when he was faced with the prospect of becoming Slade's apprentice, the anger and hatred he lived through when he was forced to give the stolen technology to the madman and the relief he felt when he had finally kicked Slade's butt.

But there was one feeling that made his blood run cold at the very thought. It was on a dark, rainy night when he had lost his mind completely and was exposed to his greatest fear. Not Slade, mind you. Being taught by Batman, Robin merely say Slade as another sad, demented being who was, albeit, very clever and powerful but then again, so were most super villains. It was something more psychological, more personal than getting beaten to a bloody pulp by someone who wasn't even alive… at that particular moment.

It was his own self that Robin had fought against. His own stubbornness, his own anger, his own fear, and his own obsession. The responsibility of catching the bad guys was always on his shoulders and would remain there until he was taken from this world. Starfire had once referred it to a modern day Atlas, something he wasn't so sure of what to think of. But he had lost himself in that ideal, in his own code of living. He lived to fight the bad guys and let their asses rot in jail. His early years as a teenager had been filled with this ideal as Batman had trained him to follow this path. He willingly accepted it and if he had to go back and think about choosing a normal childhood as Richard Grayson and nothing more or becoming Robin, the Boy Wonder, he knew, for certain, he would always pick Robin. That was his role in life.

But was it really?

There had been some new developments in his life now. Starfire was one of them and it was because of her that he began doubting his role in life. Was being the Boy Wonder all he really had in life or could Richard Grayson amount to something as well? Maybe he could be more than a hero. With her, he was so much more.

The cracked panes where his friends' blood stream had been shown to him were dusty and damaged with time. The place was a somber grave of bad feelings and old wounds. But he would never part with it and neither would Slade.

"Back to the old haunt, eh?"

The words meant more to Robin than to Slade.

"Slade."

The word came out of his mouth like poison, rolling from his lips with the uttermost toxicity.

"It's strange how we live life by revisiting these familiar places," said his voice, echoing throughout the room with the mystery only he could embellish so triumphantly.

"What are you planning, Slade?' asked Robin, getting to the point once and for all.

Slade chuckled darkly around him, the timbre vibrating throughout the broken objects around him.

"What would be the fun in me telling you, my dear boy? No, that's for you to figure out. After all, isn't that what all superheroes do? Look around for cryptic clues, search every nook and cranny for signs, investigate the crime scene…"

"I'm not playing with you, Slade. Whatever it is you're planning, it's over."

"Children shouldn't make such threats."

His voice was closer to him now and Robin took out his bo-staff, extending it enough to defend himself. He got into a defensive position and knowing Slade, he figured he better be prepared.

"There are no children in the room," said Robin angrily, his words hitting a chord.

"Of course not, forgive me," he said softly in an overly sweet voice, almost as if trying to pacify him, "Teenagers should not make idle threats."

And through the shadows, a dark figure stood over him. Well above Robin's height, he was an imposing shadow, a man overcome by darkness and towering over the young hero.

Robin, who had never been good at controlling his temper, came at Slade with his bo-staff. Slade easily countered his attacks with a fluidity that Robin could never figure out. This only enraged him further and caused him to lose focus.

But Slade knew this.

Robin felt himself hitting thin air and not the target in mind. All the while, he could hear Slade speaking next to him, from behind, in front of him, all at the same time.

"You fight with such enthusiasm, Robin, it amazes me how far you've come," he grunted as the bo-staff successfully hit his target and a frenzy of attacks landed on the man. Thrown to the ground, Slade recovered quickly in the shadows, walking around the young man slowly. Robin kept his eyes and ears opened, the only way he could figure out where Slade stood was to listen.

"My plans seemed to be ruined when the Titans left Earth so unexpectedly," said his dismembered voice, "Most especially when I was counting on a good challenge from you and your team."

"Cut the crap, Slade," growled Robin menacingly, hearing his boots click from somewhere on his right and attacked at lighting speed. He heard Slade groan as the bo-staff connected with his side and with a flick of his wrists, the bo-staff turned to attack in fast sequence, only to be deflected half way.

A hand grabbed the staff and pulled Robin along, encountering him with a fist straight to his jaw. Letting go of the staff, Robin fell to his knees, spitting the wad of blood from his mouth. He heard a swish from behind and jumped backwards, dodging the foot that made a small crater on the floor right where his head had been.

"I am trying to help you, Robin," he said oily, "Aid you to figure out my plan but if you do not need my help…"

Steeping into the light, Slade regarded the young man through his mask. Before Robin had even thought about it, Slade was already anticipating his attack. It was always the same right punch followed by the enraged growl that escaped the boy's lips, the same double kick and loop right before he took out his bird-a-rangs and shot them off at him, something he could easily deflect with his arms.

It was his competitive attitude and unmanageable temper that made Robin such a worthy and sometimes, unpredictable nemesis. It was that similar attitude that drew Slade to the young hero like a moth to a flame. They had so many similarities as he had stated to him before. They were determined; Robin determined to purge the city of evil and villains while Slade wanted the very opposite. They were intelligent; Robin used his intelligence to uncover clues and figure out the minds of criminals while Slade used his intelligence to draw out the worst in the young man. They were proud and at times, arrogant. Stubborn, cruel, and harsh…these things were not something that made up a hero but Robin possessed them and Slade thought it was a pity to see such traits go to waste for such a lost cause.

That's why he had recruited Robin to become his apprentice. Such talents were meant to be used for power, for money, for control. Instead, he decided to toil them away defending idiotic people who were good for one thing only; to bear on their shoulder the people who truly mattered on the way to success. And _they_ mattered.

But they had each chosen their side.

"Now I will give you a friendly suggestion, from grown up to child. Try to enjoy the next couple of weeks as best you can. Before you know it, the city will be seized, chaos will ensue, and something precious to all of you will be taken."

Still in a fighting stance, Robin narrowed his eyes menacingly to the older man.

"What do you mean?"

Shrugging, Slade waved a finger at him.

"You'll see."

He began disappearing behind the shadows and though Robin tried his best to stop him, the shadows aided the dark man and welcomed him with open arms, leaving Robin to ponder his words.

* * *

Back at the Tower, the rest of the team waited patiently for Robin to return. When he did, he brought two boxes of pizza and placed it in the middle of the table, settling himself next to Starfire on the couch. He let the team take a few bites before starting on his own slice and beginning to talk.

"Raven, what'd you find out?"

"The cameras showed nothing unusual---except for the obvious robbery by a couple of robots, of course. However, they did look like they were searching for something in specific. They went in, looked around the files and found the ones that contained the Titans. I asked around and both files contained the Titans, not the Titans East. The first disk had Cyborg and Robin and the second disk contained me, Star, and Beast Boy but they were not marked. But those robots were looking for a certain Titan, I'm sure of it. Since they couldn't find it, they took both."

"So you think Slade's trying to get info on one of us?" asked Robin, frowning and trying to remember what Slade had said to him.

Raven nodded, putting the crust back into the box and reaching for another slice. Nodding, Robin turned to Beast Boy and Cyborg. Cyborg started.

"I don't know what to tell you, man. Other than the two huge vats of indestructible liquids the Slade-bots took, nothing looks out of the ordinary. They snuck in, took the vats, and snuck out."

"Yeah," piped in Beast Boy, "They used some kind of subterranean tunnel to carry the metal liquid but when I went down to investigate, it looked like they had blown up the paths to wherever they were going. I couldn't get through."

"What would Slade want with so much metal?" Starfire asked no one in particular. It was Cyborg who responded.

"Adamantium is an incredible metal, Star. In its liquid form, one can shape it into anything you want but once it's hardened, it's virtually indestructible. With such power on his hands, Slade can build anything he can think of and beat the shit out of us."

Starfire looked extremely worried at the prospect, not out of fear of getting hurt or even getting defeated, but what that would mean for the Titans. Slade was the Titan's arch nemesis and though they had managed to pull through before, there was always a first time for everything, be it defeat or something far more terrible.

"I found him in the old hide-out today," he paused to let the sounds of dissent and shock pass through the Titans, "And he told me very little of his plans though he did say that we should try to enjoy the next couple of weeks."

"What?" said Beast Boy surprisingly, "What kind of advice is that?"  
"I dunno but whatever he's planning, he's still working on it. He said that his plans had almost been messed up when we left for Tamaran. Whatever he's building, it's still on the process of being built and we gotta pull the plug on it as soon as we can."

The Titans agreed and continued to munch thoughtfully on their pizza.

He hesitated before telling them the next part.

"He also said that one of us would be taken."

That caused the Titans to stop mid swallow to look at him in horrendous shock.

"Did he say who?" whispered Beast Boy, half of his pizza hanging off his mouth. Robin shook his head, resuming on taking ye another slice.

"We all need to be careful. We need to be on the lookout for one another as well as for oneself. Whatever Slade is doing, he needs one of us to work it out so we must not give him the chance."

Nodding, the Titans continued their meal, a dark cloud looming over t heir heads.

Another battle was just beginning.

* * *

The Titans had taken the time off the next day to go out for some meeting at the Town Hall. Robin had made them a deal that not even they could refuse. If they went in his place to yet another long, boring meeting with the mayor, he would cancel all morning session for the next week and a half. That was enough to convince Beast boy and Cyborg who suffered at being woken up at six in the morning, 'an ungodly hour' in their opinion.

"I didn't even know a six in the morning existed," Beast Boy had whined fretfully. Starfire had played her 'woe is me' card and decided to skip the meeting, something Cyborg and Beast Boy agreed to though they tried their best to get Raven to come. It was only when her eyes turned red with fury did Beast Boy laugh nervously and finally left her be. Raven had taken the time to meditate in peace and quiet, something the tower did not get much of.

Robin had spent the better half of the day inside his room working on his computer and he only left his room to grab a cup of coffee before shutting himself in again. Two hours or so after the Titans left, Starfire decided to end the self-imprisonment Robin had brought on himself and went to his room. She knocked the door gently, listening to the faint sound of clicking coming in from inside the room. There was a pause and a shuffling of feet. The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Robin, his hair all messed up and sticking in different directions, and his mask slightly skewed.

"The disheveled appearance looks very handsome on you, Robin but I think it's time for you to catch a break, yes?"

Robin smiled a little but tried to decline her offer, something that Starfire wouldn't hear of. She felt a lot more comfortable to go against him in such a case and actually had to drag him out of the somber room and all the way to the living room. Unfortunately, he decided to bring his work with him but Starfire accepted it.

At least he was out of the room.

They settled on the couch comfortably; Starfire browsing through the channels of their High-Def television had while Robin furiously typed away on his computer. Bored with all the five hundred channels offered, Starfire turned to glance at Robin. His profile was that of a very preoccupied young man, his forehead creased with concentration and determination as he lowered his gaze to the lower side of the computer. Sighing, he continued to type, completely oblivious to the presence of a charming, sexy alien girl staring at him.

That was ok with Starfire who rather liked being able to study his face. It was not something a lot of people could say but Starfire had memorized every line his face held, every crease on his brow, every kind of smiles he had. It always brought her to the obvious conclusion that he had to be one of the most handsome young men she had ever laid eyes upon. She cherished the smiles he had for they were not often seen. His eyes were almost always hidden but on those rare times she had the chance to take the mask off, she did so, always allowing herself to silently gape at the beauty he possessed. Even when angry, Robin seemed to radiate a certain light that attracted her to him. She was drawn to his passion though sometimes it was ill-forced to turn into something worse. She accepted it fully. He wasn't perfection but he was pretty damn close to in her eyes.

Finally feeling her gaze on him, Robin slowly turned his head to meet her eyes, a little self conscious to be under her stare.

"What?" he asked, almost defensively.

She shook her head, smiling at him, and very glad to be able to give him a small kiss on the lips.

"You work too much," she offered, mumbling it against his moist lips. He pushed himself forward, crushing his lips against hers in another unexpected kiss.

"Probably," he told her, pulling away before he got _too_ distracted, something he was on the verge of doing, "But someone's gotta do it, right?"

Nodding, Starfire stole another kiss and turned back to the television, leaning her head on his shoulder for comfort, her other hand going around his shoulders to play with his messy hair. She felt him stare at the top of her head for a moment before turning back to the computer screen and resuming his work.

Still playing with his hair, she said off handedly,

"Your hair is getting long."

"Is that bad?" he asked above the din of clacking keys.

Shaking her head, Starfire continued her caress, earning a kiss on the forehead from her fearless leader.

The doors to the Common Room swished opened and Cyborg came in, casting a fleeting glance at the two Titans on the couch.

"How did things go?" Robin asked, obviously engrossed in whatever he was doing on his laptop. Cyborg turned to speak to him, watching as Starfire stopped her caress the second she heard his voice and sat up straight once more. Robin's hand shot out at once and swiftly pulled her head back down on his shoulders, kissing her forehead once more.

Chuckling, Cyborg spoke.

"Boring as all hell, man. B.B. wanted to start crying at one point, that's how bored we were."

"Welcome to my world," said Robin sullenly, casting Cyborg with a dead glance. Cyborg shrugged, walking around the couch to wave to Starfire who happily waved back.

"I dunno, man, it looks pretty good from here."

Starfire giggled.

Cyborg drank his soda and left the room, letting the two have a little more privacy. Though the two teenagers rarely showed any overly affection, it wasn't a bad sight to see them share a moment. Not that Cyborg or any of the other Titans wanted to see them make out in the middle of the room but as teenagers, they liked the fact that two of the blindest, most love-struck couples in the history of couples had finally gotten together.

Once they were left alone once again, Robin spoke, the seriousness back in his voice.

"Kori, I need to talk to you about this whole Slade deal."

She sighed, feeling like breaking such a simple moment with such talk was unfortunate. But she knew Robin and if they said he needed to talk, it meant he needed to talk and she needed to listen.

She sat up, looking at him as he turned off the computer at last and shut it, letting it rest on the table in front of him.

"I'm not sure what he's planning though stealing a dozen gallons of adamantium cannot be a good thing. On top of that he's got valuable information about us we need to get back. I just want you to know that I'll probably act like an asshole these days but that's only how I get when it comes to these sickos, you understand?"

"I understand more than you think," she told him warmly, "And you are not the hole of a donkey so please do not insult yourself. Do what you have to; in the end, all you do is for all of us and for that, we thank you."

He smiled at her, amazed that she could be so understanding. He tugged on a rogue strand of hair that fell on her shoulder and drew her to him. His lips were about to touch hers when---

"Dudes! Get a room."

"Real nice, Beast boy," grumbled Raven, shooting him a dark glance. They walked to the fridge where Beast Boy started digging around, surfacing only when he found what Raven wanted and handed it to her. He submerged into the pit of horror called their refrigerator and started rummaging around.

Successfully having ruined the moment, Starfire and Robin got up from the couch, laptop in one arm, Starfire's hand in the other.

"Did you enjoy the meeting, Beast Boy?" Starfire asked sweetly, leaning her elbows on the island table and looking at him while he searched through the fridge.

"Fun?" came his muffled voice indignantly, "I had as much fun as getting my teeth ripped out of my gums."

"Oh!" said Starfire, surprised as images of Beast Boy suffering through such harshness, adding with fright, "What _did_ you sent them to do, Robin?"

"The most horrendous thing for someone like Beast Boy to do; sit around a room with old, mangy men talking about the most boring, utterly tedious subject in the world."

"And…on top of all that unusual punishment, they were talking about math…things…" he shuddered, as if the memory had suddenly gripped him. Thankfully, he found the soda can and popped it open, drinking it happily.

"What were you guys doing?" he asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows at them and making out with his arm in front of them. Robin rolled his eyes at the comment more than his tactics while Starfire giggled, always amused by his jaunts. Robin gave Raven a pointed look and she nodded, proceeding to take Beast Boy by the ear and pulling him away from them.

"Come on, you psycho," she said wearily, ignoring his dog-like whimpering, "Am I going to have to put you down?"

"I didn't know you were the kinky kind, Raven," he responded swiftly, a smile lit his features and though he didn't try to feel proud, he did when he saw her blush, a pretty color against her ivory white skin.

"Shut it," she retorted and placed him with an 'oomph' on the couch. She pointed to his video game with a hand on her hip.

"Play."

And with that, she left him behind and went to the far corner, her legs folding into themselves and she started to float.

It was time to meditate.

Beast boy smirked at the Starfire and Robin who had watched this whole scene with an amused expression on their faces.

"She _so _digs me," Beast Boy whispered low enough so Raven wouldn't hear him. With his signature laugh, he turned around and started playing Flying Monkeys version 2.34.

Robin and Starfire looked at each other and tried not to laugh, walking out of the Common Room and into the hallway. Still holding hands, Robin fidgeted a little, a sign that Starfire recognized.

"Tell me," she said softly, following him into his dark room. He left her by his bed, going over to his desk to turn on the lamp, bathing half of the room in light while the other remained in shadows.

"It's something Slade said when I talked to him," he sighed, running his hand through his hair once he put the laptop down.

"It's not as if we haven't been threatened before---I mean, we are superheroes, it kinda comes with the territory."

He paused and she could see it was hard for him to get the words out. She knew him to be a man of action not words so she signaled for him to come over to her. He sat next to her on the edge of the bed, trying to get the words out. Starfire waited patiently for him to clear his throat, her fingers trailing up the muscles in his arm and back down again.

"I'm scared he might have seen us," he finally concluded, "I'm terrified he's found out about us."

Unable to think of anything to make him feel better, she continued her slow caresses. She couldn't tell him that she had been thinking the exact same things and that those exact thoughts had gone through her head. It wasn't fear of her own safety that made her so frightened by the prospect of Slade finding out about their relationship. It was the fact that he might try to exploit it to hurt Robin.

She knew at the moment she thought of it that she was selfish.

To watch Robin suffer through something like that was something she couldn't bear; she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. The feeling of helplessness was one of the things she couldn't handle, most especially when it came to her Boy Wonder.

Starfire was overcome by a feeling of intensity and the only thing she wanted at the moment was to be close to Richard. So with one swift movement, she threw her leg over him and straddled him close to her, sinking her hands in his hair. She felt his hands automatically close in around her and let him bury his face in her hair. Something in the air changed between them.

"There is no certain way we can know about our future, Richard. For now, we can just live."

She felt him nod and pull her closer to him, his tongue making patterns on her sensitive skin and stirring the fire that had always been on the verge of being ignited.

His h ands worked their ways under her shirt, touching the soft skin that lay there. She took small breaths when his thumb started to caress the under part of her breast, making her lose any comprehensible thought. But that was ok with her and it was more than ok with him as well. Maybe they couldn't stop bad things from happening to each other, whether it was the bad guys who hurt them or each other.

But for tonight, they would just live.

* * *

Warning for the next chapter: It will be a nice, romantic lemon…which I adore to write so….WHOOO!!

Also, I just wanted to say that the last few scenes were my favorites because I think that so many people miss the most beautiful things in life and those are the quiet moments one shares with your loved one. Today, I was with my boyfriend at the Virgin Record store and I saw this couple that were looking around for a DVD. The guy was very much a skater boy, with the sandy blonde hair and the skate by his side and his girlfriend whom he kissed a couple of seconds ago was a heavy Goth, pale and covered in makeup. So, she's leaning against him and slowly caressing him when I think she spots a friend of his and quickly stops, trying to walk away from her boyfriend. He notices and pulls her back, giving her a big smooch before casually saying hi to his friend who looks at him funny and walks away.

That is the most incredible thing I have seen and it reminded me so much of Rob and Star so I decided to steal it and put it in the story.

**Cartoonstar: The hot and heavy part is coming up next, dude so yay!**

**Valda: Don't worry about not reviewing every chapter. S'totally ok. Thanks for your support, though.**

**TamerofDragons: thanks**

**Jabba1: I love your encouraging words cause every once in awhile one needs it, you know? So, I'll try my best not to disappoint.**

**Flames of the Sun: LOL, I keep coming back to re-read your story to get inspiration. I'm trying to stay true to the Star's character but its hard to see her as anything but cheerful so it gets hard along the way.**

**EmpKaylenatye: Thanks for that!**


	20. Sex is emotion in motion

"Farewell, dear companion." As the words passed their lips they became trees, but still they were together. The linden and the oak grew from one trunk.

_---The love story of Baucis and Philemon, Greek Love stories._

Sex is emotion in motion.

_---Mae West_

Love's mysteries in souls do grow,  
But yet the body is his book.  
_---John Donne, Extasy_

The small lamp in the corner, where Robin's desk stood crowded with papers, gadgets, and notes provided the only source of light in the room. It bathed the far side of his bedroom with light, leaving the bed and the two lovers to be blanketed by shadows. But for once, the shadows were not their enemies but their cover, embracing them in its arms warmly.

It was Koriand'er's open eyes that brought light into the intimate space between them. The light she provided was all Richard needed and he allowed himself to wallow in the softness of her skin, taking every kiss and every movement gently and calmly. She was still straddling him, sitting on the very edge of the bed with her arms wrapped around him, feeling safe and secure in his embrace. She didn't know tonight would be the night. If she had known, she would have prepared herself better. How, she didn't know but the feeling of nervousness and excitement overwhelmed her.

Hands touched gently and searched for comfort. They traveled and discovered softer places and tender kisses were planted on sensitive skin. They had known each other for years and perhaps they had not been an official couple for long but they were something else, something not even words of the bard can describe. Two souls completed by one another, they searched for the consolation they sought so badly.

Both Koriand'er and Richard knew that with Slade back, it would only be a matter of time before their friendship was tested again and their love would have to endure excruciating tests.

For one night, they would forget everything else completely and give in to each other.

Koriand'er felt him graze her cheek with his own and before she could stop, she giggled. Richard smiled back, the corners of his mask crinkling at the ends. She kissed him with fervor unknown as she tried to tell him everything she couldn't through words. He responded just as enthusiastically, separating only when her hands went down his abdomen, to take off the belt.

As Koriand'er unbuckled the belt, Richard watched with far away eyes, thinking of all the times a mere graze of her fingers would ignite feelings within him. He thought back of all those times he had made a fool of himself when Kori had leaned in close to him, perhaps to whisper a secret or merely make sure he heard her but those were the times he treasured. He had been able to see her eyes up close, study every eyelash, the way her lips moved, her scent…

And now, here he was, with the woman he had always loved and dreamt of, currently letting his belt fall to the floor.

She smiled mischievously, letting her fingers trail up his stomach. She proceeded to kiss his neck, his Adam's apple, and let it run all the way to his lips where he captured her in a passionate kiss.

She felt his fingers under her shirt and without a second thought, she lifted her arms into the air, a wordless instruction that she was his.

Soon, clothes were disregarded on the floor, slowly but surely as each piece floated downward from the bed. Pressing his chest with hers, he shivered at the contact of skin against skin. His lips moved from sensitive skin to sensitive skin, making her explode with goosebumps. She retaliated with the same ardor he presented, pushing him back against the bed. Without breaking the contact between them, they moved from the edge of the bed to underneath the sheets, and she sighed when his lips explored places they had never been in contact with before. He sent shivers up her spines as she felt his tongue leave a wet trail from her chest downward. After a couple of moments, her fingers entangled themselves in his unruly, jet black hair, tugging gently on the strands to lead him back up to her. His masked eyes were heavy with desire as they settled on hers, a very low dim of green light came through her thick eyelashes. She kissed him passionately; unafraid to show him how much she loved him. But through the kiss, Koriand'er pushed herself on top of him once again.

She blushed when he raised an eyebrow at her, a pleasant look of surprise on his handsome face as she straddled him once more. Richard took advantage of their position and let his curiosity take over. His fingers and his palms touched every part he had always wanted to touch, parts of her that had captivated him and no curve went untouched.

Finally, when they felt ready and Koriand'er too had tasted every muscle in his being, she lowered herself to join with him at last. The white sheets moved against the gloom of darkness, deliberately and conscientiously, and the last material of clothing fell to the floor. The mask came to rest between the piles of clothes, revealing the most wonderful kinds of diamonds Koriand'er had ever seen in her life.

Their joining made her shiver with pleasure and pain but she was strangely comforted by his hands on her waist, guiding her into him. She hid her pained face in his neck, listening to his words of comfort but it was truly his sighs and his moans that comforted her. He entered her fully, kissing her shoulders and neck, whispering apologies that Koriand'er wouldn't hear of. He muttered how he was always hurting her, it seemed, and how sorry he was for all of it. She muttered some scolding words against his lips but let him comfort her nonetheless; she had a feeling that he wasn't just talking about this night. When all was said and done, Koriand'er began to move against him, watching as his eyes fluttered shut and he let another moan escape his luscious lips. Her hair cascaded to her side, shorter than what it had once been but still brilliant in color.

The movements were slow and deliberate, almost painfully wonderful. The pain had slowly faded into pleasure and she soon began to feel something strange within her, a desperation that was wonderful and agonizing at the same time. Suddenly, their movements didn't seem enough to quench what she felt and she couldn't help echoing Richard's own chorus.

Suddenly, Richard pushed her back into the pillows and Koriand'er instinctively threw her legs around him, letting him take charge. Backs arched and moans of fervor escaped open lips. Movements and rhythms filled the room with tribal melodies and the iciness they had felt before was now replaced by sweaty brows and heated meetings of skin. Fingernails left their marks, teeth grazed, and the sound of bodies meeting floated throughout the night which was far from over.

As the two lovers joined in an ancestral ritual, the light from the lamp threw his face into view, half covered by shadows, his jewel eyes burning his way into hers. Her hands touched every muscle on his chest, his back, and his arms before making her way to his face, brushing away a small piece of sweaty hair that had fallen on his face. He was a mask of pure pleasure, matching her own, and she couldn't help the growl that escaped her lips as she kissed him once more, nipping his lower lip. He wasn't really surprised; she had proved herself to be…quite frisky when she felt so lustful. He answered back with his own growl and sucked on her lower lip, feeling his blood boil at every moan she made afterward.

With her body fitting his perfectly, their efforts to find the inner reaches of their love burst within them and it felt as if a beast had been let loose. His movements tormented her, letting the pleasure linger within her but never quite reaching what she wanted. The frantic hunt for that moment overtook them and Koriand'er found herself feeling unlike anything she had ever felt before. A frenzy of emotions poured within her, making her pull Richard closer to her, wanting to feel everything he offered, both physically and in any other way she could think of. She whispered his name endlessly, in various states of pleasure and she heard him do the same from somewhere in her neck. He crushed his face against her neck, letting her scent wash over him as she arched her back suddenly, pressing her chest against his and gasping his name out. Her nails dug into his back and her own pleasure led to his, letting her name leisurely fall out of his lips.

The white sheets became calm once more and the only movement coming from the two lovers was their heavy breathing. Her hand ran over his back, feeling the hot marks she had left there and back up to his hair. She pulled at his hair gently, not enough to hurt but enough to tingle his scalp and Richard couldn't remember a time where he had felt so at peace with the world. His breathing slowly but surely came back to normal and his body went into a state of bliss. He felt his eyes droop slowly with drowsiness but he fought it. He didn't feel like he wanted to go to sleep yet.

He raised himself on his elbows, lazily looking at Koriand'er through half-opened lids. She smiled at him, a couple of red strands curling around her face. He gave her a kiss, less passionate than before but with the same emotions he always felt for her.

"I love you," he whispered, like he was saying a prayer. She kissed him once more and told him she loved him too, admiring the myriad shades of blue in his eyes. It was as if heaven itself had granted him the most intimate, secret colors for him to bear. She pressed his head back down against her chest and began to play with his hair once more. The caress made him drowsy really quickly and for the first time in years, he felt happy. He felt filled.

And sleep took over.

* * *

Well, I'm spent. Excuse me, I'm off to smoke my bubble gum cigarette. 


	21. Chapter 21

The flashbacks are in italic and they are from 'The Batman' which comes on every Saturday at ten thirty on the WB 11. That said, I do not own the show or the scenes I use in this story…no profit is being made by me from these scenes…blah blah blah.

The reason I am using these scenes instead of creating my own is because I thought that the show did a _spectacular_ job retelling robin's past.

* * *

**"You have to know the past to understand the present."**

_---Dr, Carl Sagan_

**Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart and his friends can only read the title"**

_---Virginia Woolf_

The morning sun rose in all its great glory, born from the ocean and elevating to the sky, each ray of light making its way to bring brilliance to the darkest corners. However, there was one place where the rays rarely lit though it put up quite a fight. The dark, navy blue curtains always shielded the room from sunlight, as if afraid to let such a strange substance through. Today, like every other day, the raging battle wore on but as always, the sun succeeded in sending weak, thin waves of beams through the curtains. It bathes the room in a hazy, almost ghostly way.

Kori's eyes fluttered open, her long, soft eyelashes tickling his chest and making him wiggle beneath her and groan in protest. They remained in their current position for a while with her head resting on his shoulder and her hand spread out over his chest. She felt his limp arm, which had fallen to the mattress as sleep overtook him, wrap itself around her waist once more. Kori moved her head upward, catching a glimpse at his clear blue eyes before they closed. His scent had washed over her and she found that, through the course of the night, their two scents had joined together to make a scent so erotically delicious.

Kori moved her leg from the haphazardly thrown position over his body into a more comfortable place, smiling when Richard protested again and with a sudden movement, he threw his leg over hers and wrapped her in his arms.

"Sleep," he muttered drowsily, lying on his side and burying his face in her neck. She giggled at him but honored his request. With him lying so close to her and providing such a comfortable pillow, she found it easy to let sleep over come her. A few glorious minutes passed between them and their breathing soon regulated in to a slow, rhythmic pace.

Suddenly, a loud, overexcited ringing came from somewhere behind Richard. With nerves of steel and quick agility, he jerked awake and shot his arm out, completely and utterly annihilating his alarm clock. It dropped to the floor with an angry clank but remained silent.

"Stupid, useless…"

His hands covered his face, blocking out whatever he wanted to say about the subject.

Kori laughed, lying on her stomach with her arms under. One fist tried to muffle her laughter but her jerking body gave her away. Richard turned to her; his eyes sparkling at her with predatory mischievousness while his hands slowly coming down from his face. He proceeded to kiss her naked back, the curve of her spine, the small muscles on her shoulders, and finally, he grazed his cheek against hers.

"Good morning, Richard," she whispered happily, the light in her eyes burning brightly.

"Morning, Kori," he answered back, his voice raspy and scratchy with sleep. He turned her on her back, settling himself between her legs and resting his head on her chest. They remained there with Kori scratching his head, in a way his mother used to do. Without thinking about it, he voiced this comment to her.

"Truly?" she said in surprise, looking at him as he raised his head. He nodded pleasantly at her.

"It's always lulled me to sleep."

Kori chuckled, letting out an 'oomph' as he rolled over her and landed on his side again, incredibly close to her body. He appraised her strangely for a couple of minutes, something she didn't notice since her eyes were closed. There was a small smile on her face, the same one he had last night as he had fallen asleep.

Contentment flew in the air, surrounding them and becoming one with them. She had willingly accepted him last night and he realized that as much as he knew her, in fact, _she _knew very little about him. And yet, she had unabashedly, without as much as a second thought, given herself to him. She didn't know a thing about his past; she had been satisfied with knowing only his name.

The idea that flashed through his brain set off a chain of thoughts and emotions he did not want at the moment. One side of him (that sounded oddly like Bruce) told him that she had no real reason to know all that stuff. Why let her know _his_ burden? Besides, if she found out what happened to him, she would be incredibly saddened. On top of all that, what if someone tried to get this information out of her head? What if, god prevent it, Slade got hold of her and tried to find out who he was or worse, who Batman was.

That's when the other voice joined the one sided conversation. Kori would _never _reveal who wither of them was. On top of that, he would make sure Slade didn't touch a hair on her being, much less use her. She had trusted him with her burden, why shouldn't he?

"Richard!"

He jolted back into reality. Kori was looking at him with strange eyes, half worried, half amused.

"You have returned to Earth?"

"Huh?"

Kori frowned, wondering out loud if she had gotten the expression right. Richard assured her that she had which made her smile in pleasure.

"I was just…thinking."

_Arguing_ is more like it.

"What about?" she asked him gently, tracing his face with her fingertips.

He hesitated but only for a moment.

"Well, you kinda reminded me of my parents," he started, holding her hand for courage, "My mother used to do that every night so I could fall asleep. My dad used to tease me about it, telling me I would have my girlfriend do the same when I was older."

That got Kori to laugh.

"Guess he was right."

Chuckling, Richard agreed.

"What do your parents do?" she asked, the innocent question traveling in the air for a while. She was about to ask it again, perhaps thinking he had zoned out again when he answered.

"You remember when you went to the circus?" he asked her, and she nodded excitedly.

"You remember the acrobats you saw there?"

Another excited nod.

"You don't mean to say, you and your parents were acrobats?!"

Richard chuckled at her excitement, certainly glad she was lightening the somber mood he was about to put them in.

"I always thought you were so much like them, Richard. Fearless, agile, and so bendy…"

He chuckled again, certainly not expecting that last comment.

"Yes, well, it was a short career."

"Why?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

He sighed, noticing his palms were sweaty. He took a moment to think about the irony of his sweaty palms; jumping off seventy story buildings never got him to sweat but there were only two things that got him this way.

His past and his present: Kori.

"Well, my dad was the manager of the circus and we had just come to Gotham. It was supposed to be my big unveiling, the newest addition to the Flying Graysons…that's what we were called. But on opening night, a man came to visit us. His name was Tony Zucco…"

_His face was long and pointed, like a horse's. His eyes were unlike anything he had ever seen before; one blue and one brown. He had a toothpick caught in between his lips, moving it around nonchalantly. When he spoke, Richard felt his spine shiver with dread._

"_Looks like the circus is in town."_

_He introduced himself as Tony Zucco and extended his hand toward Richard, who knew better than to take it. From that moment, he knew that this man was a bad person. His father had taken charge of the situation, pushing young Richard back to his mother. She was as frightened as he was but he had no doubts in his father. He would kick Tony out of the circus, no matter what he was trying to sell._

_But things took a turn for the worst. When his father had denied the 'protection' offered, Zucco revealed his true colors. His brothers had made sure to point out what the protection was for. For the first time in his young life, Richard felt truly frightened. When his father, a strong and well-built man was knocked out, Richard made sure he was ok before calling the police. Zucco appeared to be the kind of guy who liked to talk so calling on his cell phone for help, in secret, was not a hard thing to do._

"_I'll be blunt with you John," Zucco slithered, "I don't this circus or your family can afford _not_ having our protection."_

_Richard had always had brass, even as a young child. _

"_Funny…'cause I think we can."_

_Zucco had turned an amused look toward Richard._

"_And what makes you so sure about that…_Sonny_?"_

"_I called the police five minutes ago," he had answered brusquely. And to his surprise, a deep, dangerous voice behind Zucco added,_

"_And guess who intercepted that call?"_

_It was the Batman._

"Please, who is this man of bat I hear so much about?" questioned Kori, a small frown forming on her face.

"Well, he's kind of like us, a superhero except he doesn't have any super powers. He depends on his wits and gadgets to survive."

"Like you," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, like me…"

_The Batman proceeded to beat the living lights out of Zucco and his brothers, who hastily escaped while one of the brothers stood and fought. As Zucco ran out of the circus, Richard turned to glare at him. It was one of those moments that never fade. Zucco's strange eyes looked back with the same hatred but purer, more real than a child's version of hatred._

_It all seemed to happen in slow motion and his glare burned a hole in Richard's eyes._

_His father had returned as had the smile in his mother's face. The danger forgotten, Richard turned to see one of the most famous superhero of all time. He smiled, a real smile that Batman would rarely see after that moment._

_Batman smiled back._

"How awful, Richard," said Kori emotionally, "Your mother must have been so scared."

"She was," agreed Richard, "But as my father always said, **the****show must go on**."

_The circus was alive with people and excitement. Children laughed joyously, the parents were glad their children were so happy, and the circus folk, always so cheery and content, prepared for the opening. Fireworks exploded in the air, announcing the show was about to start and in one of the tents, a family stood by. _

_Out of the shadows, an ironic statement of things to come, a boy came out, wearing a costume made out of primary colors and his discontentment was evident on his face._

"_Is there a reason why this costume has to be so…colorful?"_

_His mother had walked up to him and smiled, kneeling to look at him straight in the eyes._

"_Because when I see you up there, Richard, you make me think of a little Robin."_

_Her hands had touched the R insignia gently, with the gentle touch of a mother. Richard had not thought of it that way…not back then anyway._

"_Ughh! A robin! Like the bird? You know, kids my age get beat up for nicknames like that."_

_They had joked around, a warm feeling had settled into his stomach and though he was never frightened by the prospect of flying through the air with no real safety, he felt a bit of nervousness like he had never felt before. Still, he had labeled it 'before the show jitters' and left it at that. With his father's bear hug and his mother's kiss, he had happily climbed the stairs to the podium high above the audience._

Kori laughed, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Go on, Richard."

Though Richard had lived through this and knew what was coming, he couldn't help but be happy that she was so content at hearing his story. He hesitated, then, to tell her the rest. Surely, her present mood would not last after he continued. But he went on, thinking it was unfair to lie to her.

"Our routine usually consisted of a couple of daring acts but the most daring was that we did all of it without the safety of a net…"

"…_I present to you, the fearless Flying Graysons!"_

_The audience cheered and roared, the excitement living in the very air. The lights shone on his parents and they unrobed, proudly showing off the costumes his mother had made for them. With a loving look at his wife, his father had dived into the air, twirling until he grabbed the next trapeze and swung around the air. A thunder of applause came from the crowd. His mother had gone next, smiling as she lifted her head to look at her husband and join hands. This was their life. This was their joy._

"_And now, the youngest member of this amazing family."_

_The light shone on him as he proudly prepared to take his robe off. Suddenly, his ears had caught a god-awful sound. Looking up, he watched in horror as the lines securing the trapeze shook violently and finally came loose. This was not supposed to happen. Forgetting his turn was next, he let go of his robe. His eyes watched in pure terror as his mother swung toward him, her hands extended toward her son and gasped, fear swimming in her face. His father's eyes widened as did her mother's as her extended hands continued to reach for him._

"_Dick…"_

_His clear blue eyes had seen them fall through the air they had trusted so much. His clear blue eyes had seen them hit the floor. His clear blue eyes had filled with tears as his mother's voice kept replaying in his head._

"_Dick…"_

_His father's eyes had widened._

"_Dick…"_

_Her mother's extended hands would always reach out for him._

"_Dick…"_

_His heart had plummeted viciously from his chest down to his stomach as their bodies made contact with the ground._

"Richard…"

His eyes opened, looking at Kori's ashen face through watery eyes. He blinked a couple of times, focusing his gaze on Kori. Her eyes were filled with tears and a couple of them remained dangerously balanced on the tip of her nose and on her nose's bridge, as if frightened (by his story, perhaps) to drop down to the pillow.

"No, don't cry," he said quickly, panicking at the sight of such sorrow on her face, "It was a long time ago…"

"I am so sorry, Richard…so sorry…"

Kori continued to cry but she tried her best to stop, doing her best to stop the tears from falling. But is seemed impossible; it was as if her body was acting on auto-pilot.

The tears would just not stop.

Richard did his best to wipe them away but more fell in their place. Kori's tears did not help his own feeling, like he was about to burst as well. She must have noticed a trembling of his lip or the tears forming in his eyes for she shook her head and willed the rivers from her eyes to stop.

"Well, after my parents' funeral, I found out I was going to be put in an orphanage. An orphanage is just a home for children who no longer have one."

He paused there, in fear she was going to start crying again but when she didn't, he felt it was safe to continue, "It wasn't so bad there. I mean, the food wasn't all that great and the beds weren't super comfortable but…I had a roof over my head, you know?

A month or so later, I was adopted without even knowing I was being adopted. A man named Bruce Wayne had agreed to take care of me and I found out he had been the one that paid for my parents' funeral. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the biggest house I had ever seen in my life…"

"_Welcome home, Dick."_

_It wasn't long 'till he figured out that Bruce was rarely home. Alfred, their butler and probably the only true friend Richard had made up to that point in his life, had told him that Bruce's job kept him so busy. Richard often wondered what job could be so entertaining that Bruce would miss so many meals. Days went by without properly talking to his foster parent and in those days, he would entertain himself by playing video games. As more days went by, he found a new hobby._

_Annoying Alfred out of his mind._

_Being born an acrobat, Richard couldn't bear being cooped up too long. So, he would swing from all the fixtures in the ceiling he could get his hands on. He destroyed lots of expensive lamps, chandeliers, and staircase structures as he grew up. Anything to pass the time._

_But one day, as he slept on the couch facing a beautiful, almost life-like painting of his parents (having been awoken by yet another nightmare that would never truly stop) he heard a loud noise coming from behind the chair. Richard peeped around, his curiosity getting the better of him. The old butler came out from behind the old clock and even through the din fire's light, he could see the elevator that stood there. Making sure he made no noise, he remained sitting there until he was sure Alfred was gone._

_He jumped at the opportunity for mischief and discovery._

_He pulled on the clock's hand and before he knew it, the elevator's doors shut and he was being taken to some underground part of the mansion. When he stepped out of the elevator and took a quick look around, he had no doubt in his mind where he was._

"_Wow, wow, wow! Batman…"_

_As if answering him, the Batman had arrived. Richard quickly hid, hoping the Bat wouldn't find him. But as he turned to confirm this, he met face to face the Dark Knight._

_White eyes narrowed at him, as Richard's would do in the future and took off his mask._

"Who was it?" asked Kori excitedly, the tears gone from her eyes though she seemed to be cautious around the things he told her. She had learned her lesson.

_Bruce Wayne, multi-millionaire and playboy extravagant was really the Dark Knight. And he had figured out who had killed Richard's parents. But worst of all, _he_ was going to be the one to go after him._

"_No. That's for me. I wanna make sure he gets what's coming to him."_

_His voice had been so serious, so haunting that it made Bruce raise his eyebrows in surprise. Perhaps at the deadly edge of his words or how much Richard reminded him of himself. _

_Whatever it was, Bruce did not allow him to do so. But Richard had his own ways to figure out where Zucco was._

"_If I find Batman, I find Zucco."_

_With a little trial and error, he found Batman and was eager to go after Zucco. But how? Batman had his little Halloween costume, where was his? _

_Then it hit him._

"…_you remind me of a little Robin."_

_His mother's harmonious voice stayed in his mind as he donned on his costume, adding a cape and mask for flair._

_Soon, he took off into the sky._

_He found Batman in a bad position and having knives thrown at you wasn't the most comforting thing in the world, especially when one had just been thrown at your face. Richard quickly cut a bag loose and sent it flying to intercept the knife. When he jumped down to the ground, he made sure to give Zucco the beating of his life._

"_So Batman's got family too. Cute."_

_He was sure he impressed Batman with is ability to kick major ass, especially since he was a rookie. Richard was also sure Batman saw how uncoordinated he became when angered._

"_Didn't your parent ever teach you any manners?"_

_Zucco's words had angered to no belief and he had lost his cool. His first butt whoop. Not cool. Thankfully, he had Batman to save the day…as he would for years to come. _

_When Zucco had fled in panic, it was then the Batman realized just how similar and yet how different they were. Something, no doubt, they would experience in the future far more often._

"_Nice save but I thought you wanted Zucco to get what was coming to him."_

"_Well, he did, didn't he? Justice."_

_And that's when he knew. It was their sense of justice that separated them. It was too far away to see it now but they would soon find out just how far Batman was willing to take his own version of 'justice' and how much Richard could stand it. _

_But for now, new beginnings were forming._

"_I've thinking, Dick. I'm not sure Bruce Wayne has what it takes to raise you properly."_

"_Yeah, I kinda noticed he's never around. But if not Bruce Wayne, what about the Batman?"_

_A pause, perhaps to consider the possibilities._

"_We'd have to give you a name."_

_His eyes widened slightly as he touched the insignia on his chest. His mother's voice, so sweet and gentle, came echoing through his head._

"_How about…Robin?"_

"_Like the bird?" came his surprised response._

"_It's a family name."_

Kori giggled, her timbre sweet enough to get him to smile as well.

"I've always thought it was because of your birthday."

Richard cast a surprised look at her face.

"You know when my birthday is?"

Kori nodded, looking like a child caught in the act.

"When Beast Boy found out Raven's birthday, I asked him to find out what was yours. I am only sorry to say we were in Tamaran during March twentieth and I was a little preoccupied…"

"Oh… you know, I hadn't eve thought of that."

Kori smiled, pulling at his hair once more.

"I am glad you told me all of this, Richard. But why?"

"Why?" he repeated, his eyes burning through hers, "I thought that maybe it was about time you knew a little more about me."

"I am glad," she said simply.

They lay on bed, silent and simply breathing each other in. But all good things have to come to an end and this, unfortunately, was one of them. A glance at the broken clock told Richard what he dreaded.

"Time to get up?" Kori asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"Yep."

Groaning, she got up and looked around for her clothes. Unwilling to…reuse certain clothes, she put on her shirt and skirt and decided to carry the rest of her clothes in her hands. She stuffed her underwear in one of the boots and stuck her tongue out at Richard who had been watching her as she changed. With a swiftness known only to him, he pulled her back against the pillow and kissed her senseless. Though he was also dressed by then, he could feel her hands itching to undress him once more.

"Kinds frisky, aren't we?"

She giggled against his lips but nodded shamelessly.

Deciding it was best to not keep teasing each other, they stood a distance from each other as they got ready. When every piece of clothes was in the right place, Richard put on his mask and Robin appeared. She smiled at him and stole a kiss on the cheek, before they stepped out. Once the doors opened and the two of them steeped into the hallway, things changed but only slightly.

"I shall see you in the Common Room, yes?"

He nodded at her, tugging at her hand to land another kiss.

"Last one," he promised.

* * *

The day went on without a hitch; everyone was busy in one way or another. Robin had brought his laptop out and was, once again, furiously typing away, as if possessed. Cyborg had busied himself installing new equipment into the T-car, something he hadn't done in some time. Raven had gone to her room to meditate with Starfire and Beast Boy had been left alone to watch his all-time favorite TV drama: Jack of all Trades.

Starfire floated in the air, a feeling of pure contentment. Her very aura was exuberant with energy, pulsing endlessly through raven's mind.

"Jeez, Star. Happy much?"

"Oh, so happy."

"Really? Couldn't tell."

A pink ripple waved around. A giggle.

"Any reason?"

A blue cloud surrounded them, enough to hide Starfire from view. Could it be a blush?

"Robin and I made love last night."

Through the blue haze, black lighting passed through.

"Kinda noticed by all those emotions you two sent out last night. You guys are way too cheesy."

"Oh but the cheese was wonderful," she retorted, a pink atmosphere surrounding them again, "It was sooo much better than what I imagined."

"You imagined?"

Another blush.

"Quite a bit, yes."

"Nice."

She fell silent for a second, actually enjoying the feeling of contentment coming from Starfire. Perhaps because it had been so long since she had felt it. Strangely, it calmed her from all the feeling she was having.

"Did you use protection?" asked Raven suddenly, their auras surrounding each other closely, something she never did with anyone unless she had to--- no one except Starfire, of course.

"Protection?"

"Oh man…"

Raven's aura became murky. Starfire could hear and feel the dread in her but she wasn't sure why.

"What does 'protection' protect you from?"

Raven came close to Starfire again, trying to explain what a condom was.

"Well, the guy wears a latex covering on his…penis so the…semen won't pass through."

She finished lamely, feeling her natural body blushing from head to toe. Just because she was Queen of the Darkness didn't mean she wasn't a teenage girl and that the words penis and semen didn't have the same effect as when Beast Boy heard the word boobs.

She turned into a tomato.

"Oh! That's all right," Starfire said happily, "Tamaranians do not need it. I have found that earth women have a monthly cycle where you menstruate, yes? Well, Tamaranians have something similar. Every two years, our own lining sheds but instead of blood, it dissolves into our blood stream and we give off a certain…smell that arouses men. This way, more men are attracted to us and we are able to conceive quicker."

"You can only conceive every two years?" Raven asked, surrounded in a purple aura.

"Yes, this is why our smell is so important during that time. It attracts males by the dozens."

"Does Robin know about this?"

"Um…no."

Shaking her head, Raven laughed suddenly. Starfire's aura let a cloud of confusion go by.

"I'm going to have so much fun with him about this…"

Starfire laughed but was a little frightened as well. Raven's way of fun was dark and macabre, not exactly what Starfire wanted to hear. After a moment, Starfire had the courage to ask a question that had been bothering her.

"I feel you are a bit confused about something. Would you mind telling me?"

Raven turned to her for they were very close now. Their emotions bounced off each other, creating waves across the space they were in.

"Teenage things."

"Such as?"

Raven hesitated. She always felt she could confide in Starfire but how could she when she herself didn't know what she was feeling. Hell, it was bad enough that she _was_ feeling something.

"Is it between you and Beast Boy?"

Surprised, she nodded numbly at the haze figure of the girl. While Starfire was enclosed in a light violet cloud, Raven kept herself in a navy blue haze. However, for this conversation, she eased her hold on the bubble she had created for herself.

"I am sure there's something there," she started bluntly, the confusion evident on her voice, "But out of all people…why him?"

"I am sure we don't get to pick who we fall in love with, Raven," commented Starfire gently, adding, "Besides, what is wrong with falling for Beast Boy?"

"I'm not _falling_ for him but there's a certain…attraction. And do you not know us? We're _vastly _different from each other."

"There is a saying in Tamaran that is similar to one I have found here on Earth. It is that opposites attract."

"That's just cheap bullshit one believes to not question the stupidity of liking your exact opposite."

Raven scoffed, shaking her head. Her aura was starting to overwhelm Starfire and Raven retracted herself a little.

"Let talk about something else…"

"No, please, continue."

"No, I shouldn't burden you with all this…"

"What are friends for?"

Sighing, Raven paused. Allowing herself a few minutes to compose herself, she started once more, a lot calmer.

"He's annoying, I'll never deny that but--- he also doesn't care that I am the way that I am. He _enjoys_ the times I threaten the sanctity of his behind. He actually looks for me so we can fight… he doesn't care that I push him away 'cause he always comes back. He looks for me, you know. He goes out of his way to _look_ for me."

"And you are frightened to feel for him?"

Raven breathed out heavily.

"You know what happens when I feel. The world goes boom."

Starfire was about to speak when they were interrupted, by the very person they were speaking about.

"Guys, trouble!"

Beast Boy's voice.

"It's Control Freak."


	22. Chapter 22

This chapter gave me trouble a lot of trouble and don't ask why I decided to incorporate Beast boy and Raven in there. I'm tired and kinda drained for some reason. Next chapter will be better, I promise.

* * *

**Opposites attract because they are not really opposites, but complementaries. **

**--- Sydney J. Harris**

Control Freak.

Perhaps one of the most unpredictable villains the Titans had ever faced. Unpredictable…in a strange, ridiculous sort of way. The Titans had never worried about fighting him, not in the way they felt when they would go after Slade but at the same time, Control Freak could scare them in ways Slade never could.

This situation would not be different.

An emergency call had been placed ten minutes before the Titans arrived, ready to go into battle. The cause of the problem had been quite simple. Control Freak had locked himself in the kid's section of the local video store because '_they would not lemme buy the damn Director's edition multiple platinum never again released new tale of The Little Mermaid.'_

His exact words.

"Dude, being a dork about movies, I can accept but…fairy tales?" Beast Boy shook his head, as if disappointed at him.

"It's not _just _a fairy tale. It's one of the most beautiful love stories of all time…" his eyes turned into two beating hearts and the Titans could almost see what he was imagining.

Ariel, sitting there on her rock with the water splashing against her half naked body, two shells covering her chest and the rest was simply…natural. Her fiery red hair reminded him of another woman who usually wore a little more than the mermaid who was now slowly filtering out of his mind. Suddenly, Ariel's face turned into Starfire's and her bright, luscious green eyes called to him. She whispered musically,

"Control Freak, Control Freak, oh Control Freak…"

"OY, Control Freak!"

Snapping out of his trance, Control Freak whipped his head around to see the leader of the Titans with his finger pointed directly at him.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," Robin chided, then with a look at the iron bars that held Control Freak in the children's section, he yelled out his now famous phrase.

"Titans, GO!"

The crazed man backed away as far as he could, the DVD cradled safely in his arms while the Titans easily broke through the iron gates. Fumbling, he took out his trusty remote control, pointing it straight at the Titans who, by now, knew the impact of such a simple object. They scattered around, escaping the fuchsia beam that escaped the device. In the course of trying to get Control Freak into custody, almost all the DVDs fell to the floor, scattering and making a big mess.

But one could rely on the Teen Titans to deliver the bad guy into police hands. Within a few minutes of explosions and smoke, Control Freak was taken by the collar and shoved into police hands.

"Don't worry," said one police officer to the demented man, "We'll be showing 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the way to prison."

"NOOOOOO!"

Beast Boy laughed, picking up the remote control from the floor and twirling it around his fingers while the rest of the Titans tried to clear some of the mess they had made.

"What a cool thingamajig," he said curiously, "I wonder where he gets all the technology from…"

"I ask myself that same question," piped in Cyborg, scratching his head, "Be careful with it, B. You never know what it might do."

"Worry not, fellow Titan," he said happily, imitating Starfire's voice, "I shall not---whoops…"

There had been a button on the lower side of the remote, something Beast Boy had not noticed. The remote vibrated within his hand, slow at first and then more violently.

"What'd you do?" asked Robin, narrowing his eyes at the youngest member. The Titans moved away, trying not to be caught in the soft light pouring out of the remote.

"Raven," Cyborg said softly, "Use your powers to contain the light."

Nodding, Raven moved closer to Beast boy who held the remote as if it had some sort of disease. Her arms extended and her hands glowed black, positioning herself for anything. As the rest of the Titans backed away (they had too many experiences with Control freak's remote) Raven's magic touched the remote and slowly levitated it out of Beast Boy's hands. But it seemed this was not the thing to do.

The remote let out a white light, enough to surround the two Titans and everything around them. The fallen DVD's surrounded them and before Robin or any of them could do anything, Raven and Beast Boy were sucked into one of the DVD's itself.

"Nice…" was the last word Raven muttered before being transported into a whole different world.

* * *

The Titans didn't know what to do. The DVD, which Raven and Beast Boy had been transported to, had fallen on the ground and all they could do was stare at the title.

"How ironic," was all Cyborg could say as he held the DVD up; the title read: Beauty and the Beast.

"How romantic," said Starfire, clasping her hands together and getting weird looks from her fellow teammates. She blushed and her smile sobered.

"I mean, we have to get them back."

The police arrived and while they were worried about their two lost teammate, they made sure all the information was given and all the paperwork was taken to the tower before trying to figure out how to get them back. Cyborg shut himself in his room, quite like Robin often did, and started playing around with the technology in Control Freak's remote.

Meanwhile, Robin and Starfire went to the security prison to interrogate the criminal.

While Control Freak was not the type of criminal one usually found in these types of prisons, he was often taken there to the less expensive cell and confined there for a couple of months. He was often out and causing trouble as soon as the jail doors opened.

Robin and Starfire were often visitors to the prisoners at Jump City High

Security prison and the officers knew them more personally than anyone else in the city which was not to say much. Robin tried to keep the Titans' private life just that.

Private.

So when the two walked into the prison and received congratulations on 'finally getting together,' Starfire had to restrain him from completely freaking out. She did not wonder how they found out anymore; in fact, she was used to being puzzled over how much people knew about the Titans' daily life.

She had noticed when, during a trip to the supermarket, she had opened a magazine to a page called 'Titans are just like us' and had showed pictures of the Titans training with a caption saying, "They work out."

Or when they went to eat pizza, "They eat unhealthy foods."

Or the latest which Starfire had yet to see; a picture of them at the carnival getting on the Ferris Wheel. It was a cute picture, according to Beast boy who had teased them endlessly about it. Robin was helping her into the car and holding her hand but what gave them away was the smiles shared between them which the 'body expert' explained,

"The joined hands inform that they trust each other and the way they smile is intimate, like a secret they both share. He's leaning toward her which means that he wants to be near her at all times and his smile is soft and warm which shows how much he cares for her."

Needless to say, she had never mentioned this to Robin who she knew would go insane and start hunting down the people who wrote these things. She grabbed him by the forearm as he turned red in the face when a female security guard told them they made a cute couple and pulled him away, smiling brightly at the woman nonetheless.

"How in the world…" was all he could manage to mumble.

Starfire tried not to smile.

As they made their way to the cell where Control Freak was placed in, the two lost Titans continued to try to find their way out of the mess they were in.

And boy, was it a mess…

* * *

Raven had awoken to find herself laying down on a bridge. She could hear the water rushing underneath her and heard the birds chirping around her. She wearily got up, noticing at once that her cloak and leotard was gone and instead, she wore a baby blue dress and had her hair tied with a bow. She looked over to see the fresh, clear blue water and the fish happily swimming through the river. It seemed out of this world. The skies were too beautiful to be real, the sun was too bright to the true, and the fish were swimming with smile in their scaly faces. But she was more surprised to see her reflection and she let out a loud groan.

"This isn't happening," she said, annoyed but she realized, when the music started, that it was, in fact, happening. The music was slow and pleasant to anyone else's ears except hers. And her voice was no where near as beautiful as the original girl who sang it.

"Little town, it was quiet village

every day like the one before.

Little town, full of little people

Waking up to say…"

Raven thought if there was anytime that she would have happily let Trigon take over, it would be now.

"Bonjour, Bonjour

Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour!"

* * *

Meanwhile, the Beast was also waking up and it was rather obvious who this Beast was. He didn't have as hard a time accepting it as Raven did but rather, he enjoyed it. He looked around his room with an odd sort of curiosity, wanting happily to touch the flower that was protected by the see through jar but he knew better than to do so. Maybe he wasn't a dork like Control Freak but Starfire had made them watch a marathon of Disney films for Movie night and he remembered what the story was about.

He wondered how long he would stay stuck here but he didn't overworry. He knew Cyborg would get them out in no time. Meanwhile, he would enjoy the time he had here (even though he was supposed to sulk around all the time, according to the Disney version). So after a day or so of happily fitting into the role, he took a page out of Robin and Raven's book and imitated their sulkiness and morose moods, congratulating himself at greatly succeeding.

He calmly waited for the old man to come into his mansion. He had been wanting to tests out his roar and his voice. But as the days passed, no one came to see him and for once, Beast boy became saddened. Suddenly, it wasn't as fun as it had once been and he longed to be back with his friends at Titans' Tower. He was alone and miserable. With nothing to do but wait, he spent his hours looking at the beautiful flower slowly withering away in his room, waiting for that fateful day.

* * *

Much to everyone's chagrin, Control Freak would not cooperate. He chided them for playing around with his remote without knowing the consequences and told them they got what they deserved. According to Robin, Control freak deserved what was coming to him as well. A couple of years in jail should do him good but even with this punishment, the two Titans had not found out how to get Raven and Beast Boy out.

They returned home empty handed to a very tired-looking Cyborg, currently rummaging through the fridge. He gave them a weary look as he munched on a half frozen club sandwich.

"Any luck?"  
Robin shook his head grimly and went ahead to the computer, searching for answers there.

"And you, Cyborg?" asked Starfire, leaning on the island table and peering at him curiously. He sighed and shook his head, taking the last bite of the sandwich before putting it back on the fridge.

"I'm going to keep trying though, I just needed a break."

Starfire was about to speak, probably to say something comforting when the bells around the Tower sounded.

Cyborg gave another weary sigh and looked expectantly at Robin.

"Titans Go!"

The same Slade-bots as the Titans called them were on the run again; this time for stealing some sort of sun powered machines from another factory, this one a little outside of Jump City. The Titans traveled by T-ship, moving quicker than taking the car and Robin's motorcycle. Besides, the city was at gridlock at the moment so the T-ship sounded like a better idea.

By the time they got there, the Slade-bots were ready to be on the attack, forming a protective wall around the factory. There were dozens against the three of them but they tried not to seem worried about it. Robin himself could take out a few at a time and o could Starfire and Cyborg. With his infamous battle cry, the Titans launched themselves into battle.

The robots seemed bent on not letting them pass through them. They fought fiercely, even for robots and thought the Titans fought back with the same furor, the lack of two members became more noticeable. Robin used his inhuman strength and agility to move around as quickly as possible, relying on Starfire to clear his path as he tried to break the ranks. But even her bolts weren't enough to clear the robots away.

"They are very persistent," Starfire commented from overhead, dodging as Cyborg sent a robot flying close to her, "Almost too persistent.

"Whatever Slade wants them to get, they are making sure they get it without a hassle," said Robin, huffing as he sent a robot hurling against another, "We can't let that happen."

Cyborg let a yell as he became surrounded by the robots and Starfire immediately went to help, leaving Robin to fend for himself. He jumped on top of one of the robots, bringing him down as he propelled himself forward unto another. Whipping out his bo-staff, he slammed it down on top of their metallic heads and breaking the close knit ranks they had around the factory. A distance not so far away, the other Slade-bots were carrying bundles of heavy machinery into a large truck, something so unlike Slade to do. He was usually one for subtly and this certainly was not it. Robin ran toward them, in effort to stop the robbery but as always, Slade had more than one plan. With a ferocious roar, a white looking creature they had encountered a couple of moths ago landed right in front of Robin. He grabbed Robin by his cape and flung him like a rag doll across the sky. He yelled in surprise but more so when Starfire caught him mid-flight. She held Cyborg in her other hand and looked down upon the creature.

"Him again?" she asked with a puff, looking dirty and tired from the battle.

"They're stealing all this heavy machinery in the middle of the day," said Cyborg strangely, "Why is Slade making all of this so obvious?"

"I don't think he has a choice," said Robin darkly, "We already have set his plans back a couple of weeks…"

Starfire flew above the creature, dodging him as he jumped in effort to catch them.

"Ready?" she asked and with their confirmation, she proceeded to swing them with tremendous force against the creature. With a patented move, Cyborg let out his cannon's ray against Robin's powerful disk and the sonic boom hit the creature squarely in the chest. The creature screamed in pain but before it could recover, Starfire had let out a couple of high bolt beams from her eyes, pushing him back against the rocks behind him. Touching the terrain, his body imitated it and he extended his hardened arms against Starfire, slamming her against the ground and creating a small crater in the middle of the ground.

Meanwhile, Robin had slipped from behind and plastered a disk on his back, backing away as quickly as he could before the disk exploded. The creature was overcome by an explosion and exploded into flames. Cyborg had gone to check on Starfire who was slowly regaining her strength in his arms. She opened her eyes as the creature slowly emerged from the flames, becoming the flames itself and letting out a shriek of fire and smoke.

Robin joined the rest of his teammates in looking at the ferocious looking creature. But by that time, the robots had all but left and the truck was nowhere to be found. Not only did this disappoint him but angered him as well. He threw out two more of his disks with amazing accuracy and let them explode on him, freezing him entirely from head to toe. He proceeded to smash him to pieces with his bo-staff and threw out half a dozen more disks, freezing the small pieces of him as to not let him recuperate. He looked livid as he saw the place where the truck had once been and all the equipment that they had stolen.

"They got away," said Cyborg silently.

"I know," said Starfire, eyeing Robin intently, "I know."

* * *

"Yes, yes I know it's a dark scary castle," said Raven, her voice annoyed as she held onto the rains of the horse which led her to the mansion where the beast lived, "I kinda like it actually."

She hoped that the Titans would get her out of this mess soon but as she continued on with the stupid story, she could see that they were taking their sweet long time. Having no other choice but to continue her course, she angrily said her lines and wearily sang her songs with much disgust and anger, so unlike the fairy tale that everyone knew.

She entered into the castle, closing the gates behind her and moving slowly as to not scare the horse. She had watched this movie with Starfire way too many times to not know she was going to meet the beast next but she wished everything would move quicker. She was tired of being so scared of everything when she knew exactly what was going to happen. It was stupid and a waste of her time.

She peered into the castle, asking around for help.

"Help, anyone?" she deadpanned, "Please, oh, please, is anyone here?"

She saw the light of the small candle light making his way up the stairs and she couldn't help the roll of the eyes that escaped her.

"Boy, I wonder who that could be?" she said sarcastically and picking up her long dress, she made her way up the stairs. She looked around and called for her 'father' but without waiting for him to say anything, she made her way to him. Locked behind the wooden doors, she actually felt bad for the old man. If this was real life, the cold would have given him pneumonia and killed him. He wasn't so unfortunate, though, and thus here he only had a bad cold.

"Leave this place," he advised her brokenly and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"If I could, I would," she mumbled but she made sure that whoever the powers that be in this place did not hear her. They were strict on how she acted and usually rewinded the scene for her to do it right.

She looked into the old man's eyes as they turned horrified, spotting the beast behind her. She looked around to late, hearing the man's voice scream out her name. The Beast grabbed her tightly around her shoulder and turned her, growling ferociously and making the small light she had in her hand go out.

"Ow!" she retorted, rubbing her injured arm, "jeez, angry much?"

"I am the mas---Raven?"

Her eyes widened and she peered at the Beast who was covered in shadows. She noticed the voice and could swear she had heard it once before.

"Dude! It is you, I recognize the cowl!"

"Holy shit…"

Beast boy stepped into the shadows but instead of having an angry look on his face, he had a huge grin that made him look almost as scary as he was originally supposed to be.

Raven wished the Earth would open and swallow her up at that very moment.

"Did you really have to pull me so hard?" she asked once she was settled into her room, Beast Boy lying on her bed and making a huge dent on it. He father had been sent away as planned and Beast By had growled and sulked but after Raven had flopped on her bed and 'cried' (more like she made really loud sobbing noises) she had let Beast Boy in her room. The powers that be seemed to have gone asleep or did not care what happened that night. In the Disney version, that night was non-existent anyway.

"Sorry, just playing the role," he chuckled and scratched his arm, leaving long brown hairs all over her bed.

Raven scowled but said nothing.

"How the hell do we get out of here?" she asked him, untying the bow on her hair and letting it fall around her shoulders. Beast Boy said nothing but stared at the length of her long dark hair.

"Dunno. I figure either the Titans get us out or we just continue with the fairy tale until it ends."

"Then what?" she asked tentatively, noticing as she felt the world around her become sharper.

"I dunno, maybe they kick us out, I mean, it's not like you and I are doing a very good job as the roles of Beauty and the beast."

Raven nodded but she was still looking around. The world was definitely different. With a jerk, Beast Boy was suddenly flung from the bed and pushed by imaginary hands out the door. He yelped with fright but Raven sighed. She knew what was happening; the next scene was starting.

"I'll talk to you later, Beast boy," she said tiredly as he was thrown out the door. There was a moment of silence before the large wardrobe suddenly moved and started speaking to her.

"Joy," said Raven sarcastically but the powers that be made sure the word was rewinded and deleted.

* * *

"What the hell could he want with these machines?"

The table that held newspaper clippings and strewn pieces of paper shook as Robin's fist collided with it. The newspapers spelled out all the robberies and all the damages caused by Slade's new interests and though they certainly did not blame the Titans, they did ask the question Robin was pounding his head open with.

What is Slade planning?

Cyborg had retreated back to his room to keep working on a way to get B.B. and Raven out but Robin had other things to worry about. He locked himself up in his room and spent countless of hours in his computer researching the machines that were stolen. They had been parts of other machinery, parts that were made of strong metal and had questionable abilities. Some were part of a highly intelligent computer, others were part of a powerful sun ray siphon, but none of them made any sense to him. If Slade wanted to build yet another machine to take over the city with, the materials he had only enabled him to drain energy, the sun's energy to be exact.

And it was this that made Robin loose hours of required rest at night. What could Slade possibly do with this sort of weapon?

Robin woke up the next morning by the fierce growling of his stomach. He had barely eaten the night before and Starfire hadn't come into his room at all. While he was glad she understood his need to be alone and figure out what was happening, he felt a little guilty at having her think this way about him. Robin had warned her though, that he would act like a total asshole once Robin overcame Richard and while he wouldn't be looking for her company today either, he did allow himself a moment to eat breakfast and spend a couple of minutes with her that morning.

As always, she had breakfast prepared that morning and greeted him with a warm smile. He smiled back and said his hello to Cyborg who looked as exhausted as Robin felt.

"Man, I can't figure out how this machine works for didley!" he groaned, munching on his bacon, "All I know is that Rae and B. are stuck somewhere inside Beauty and the Beast an I can't get them out."

"Perhaps when the film is over…"

"But we aren't even watching it," exclaimed Cyborg, "According to my scanner, the waves coming from the DVD suggest they are somewhere in the middle of the movie… but that's about it. What I don't get is how they are going along with the film when the movie's not being watched."

"Control Freak's remote is weird," drawled Robin, "Maybe it automatically pushed play or something…"

"Perhaps our friends will emerge once the movie is over," suggested Starfire to which Cyborg shrugged and stuffed his mouth with food. They ate their silence in peace, the quietness in the room was muffling and loud, so unlike the usual racket that always seemed to fill the Tower.

With is plate cleaned off, Cyborg thanked Starfire and walked back to his room, telling them he was pulling a 'Robin' for the day. In other words, they wouldn't see him again until dinner.

Left by themselves, Starfire sat next to Robin and ate her breakfast in peace. She glanced at him and found him staring off into space, his mind somewhere far away. Starfire knew better than to bother him so she finished her breakfast quietly and cleared away the dishes. It was certainly weird to find herself with her boyfriend and not see him as her boyfriend. At times like these, Robin was merely Robin and in the blink of an eye, he could fade away into Richard. Washing the dishes, she heard the clatter of breakfast dishes being picked up and put in the sink next to her. His scent wafted to her and she gave him a smile, one he returned half heartedly. He took the towel next to her and began drying the dishes she had finished, ignoring her words of refusal.

"This is as much time as I can get to spend with you," he said with his eyes still on the dishes, "For today, anyway."

Starfire smiled softly and nodded, running her hands under the cold water. They cleaned in silence, two Titans, two lovers, but most of all; it was just the two of them for a couple of minutes.

* * *

"No, I don't want to be your guest!"

Her speech was rewinded and new words came out of her clenched teeth.

"Oh that was wonderful!"

Her eyes gave way the full fledged feelings of absolute hatred for all the creatures in this castle and for once, she hoped to see Beast Boy once again, something she never thought she would feel in her life. She had already made up her mind that she would not follow the movie itself but find a way out of it herself.

Somehow.

The stupid little candle guy began showing her the mansion and Raven 'subtlety' made her escape. She kicked the French candle thing into the walking clock, knocking the out entirely. She felt her body being rewinded once more but before the powers that be could correct the mistake, she did it again and ran for deak life.

She ran into the Beast's room, closing the door and locking it, making sure to put a few of the broken desks and chairs behind the door so no one could open them. She breathed out deeply and looked around, calling for Beast Boy. She heard a loud roar coming from the balcony and she faltered, not forgetting the last time he had turned into a real beast (albeit, he had saved her).

"No, that's too melodramatic…" he whispered softly and roared again, this time less passionately.

"Eh…a lil' louder maybe…"

"Beast Boy!"

With a jerk, he turned to face her with a confused look on his hairy face.

"No! Don't look at me just yet, go touch the flower," he all but whined, signaling to the wilting flower, "On that same note, you think I'll die if the flower dies… as in, for real?"

"Not if I kill you first," she growled and pulled him away from the balcony.

"We have to get out of here, I'm going insane!"

Beast Boy shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm kinda enjoying it; it's a nice break."

Raven rolled her eyes and pulled him to his half broken bed.

"I'm not one for fairy tales…"

Best Boy chuckled.

"I figured. But you have to admit, it's pretty cool."

Raven rolled her eyes and felt herself being watched.

"You think whoever's out there commanding this world is out for revenge?"

Beast boy chuckled, pouncing on his already broken bed and pulling Raven down with him. She gave a small yelp and hit him hard when she regained her composure, daintily sitting on the edge.

"Probably," Beast boy responded, rubbing his arm where she had hit him but the amused smile was still there, "Never fear, the Beast is there to save you."

"How can you handle so much hair?" said Raven incredulously, fingering his long green hair in between her slender fingers. But Beast Boy wasn't listening anymore. It wasn't always when he and Raven got along or even had a moment to talk to each other. But maybe it was those fights and that tension between them that attracted him to her. She was beautiful and that did not go unnoticed by him either. Maybe a moped wouldn't help him at the moment and neither would the pointy ears but… there had to be something that attracted her to him too.

"What?"

Beast Boy blinked repeatedly as he tried to focus his attention on her again. She sighed, annoyed and waved it away.

"Nah, I'm sorry---ask me again."

Raven gave him a strange look and took a deep breath.

"I asked, what were you thinking? Though now that I think about, I may not want to know."

Beast boy smiled.

"That you're hair's nice."

Raven stood quiet for a moment before rolling her eyes, turning her body away from his. But Beast boy had seen the blush pass her lily white cheeks.

"Cut it out," she snapped angrily, "It's getting annoying."

Raven didn't know exactly when it had started but some time ago, Beast Boy had started hitting on her (at least, that's how she saw it). He called it 'harmless flirting' but she saw past it. Through no good explanation, Beast Boy had called it quits with Tara, unable to maintain what they had once had and he had seen the reality that Tara was certainly not Terra anymore. But what was weirder than Beast boy being mature enough to see this is that he went and talked to her, not Cyborg or Robin but her. Raven.

And after a while, Raven had come to expect their little talks, much so like she did with Starfire and their meditation rituals. But even though their conversations lasted a couple of minutes and most of them were taken up by his playing around, it became a source of comfort for Raven. It was different; something new to look forward to.

And like other things in life, this was evolved into something more, something Raven didn't know was possible with Beast boy.

"You like my flirting," he teased quietly, his gaze going to the door. She looked as well and found herself wondering what was going ot happen now.

"Isn't that guy supposed to attack me or something?" he asked with a curious look to the flower which was withering faster than it had before. The sun was beginning to rise and the birds started chirping in perfect unison. The bedroom became filled with light as soon as the sun's rays touched the materials around them

Raven shrugged, not really remembering how the story went.

"Cyborg will have us out by then," she mused, hoping with all her heart and soul that it was true.

"I dunno, maybe it'll be nice to have you be all worried about lil' old me for once."

With a glare, she slapped him again and held back a chuckle as he feigned to be hurt.

"I do worry," she all but pouted, "I just rarely show it."

"Sometimes its ok to show it," he said softly, putting in his input on the touchy subject but before Raven could retort, he held up his hands in a peaceful manner, "I know what you have to say about that---" his voice turned high pitched as he put on a scowl, "---I can't feel emotions without blowing up the entire world, you dumbass."

He chuckled at his own voice and joke.

"We all know you care, though."

Nodding, Raven leaned back on the bed.

"Are we going to hide out here all day?" she asked him as the sounds of crickets joined in the bird's chorus.

"I guess so," he said, laying next to her and looking at her briefly before looking up, "Hey, let's play 'count the spider eggs.' I spy---thirteen spider eggs on that bedpost."

Raven sighed wearily and stood quiet for a couple of seconds, looking extremely irritated. Beast boy turned to look at her, maybe to apologize for playing such a stupid game or just to irritate her more, one never knows but then raven spoke.

"I spy twenty six spider eggs on the ledge of the bed and a mother spider a few inches away from your face."

"Wh---?"

* * *

Raven found out that though Beast boy's powers didn't work, hers were weak but enough to bring some food from the kitchen. The mansion was in frenzy, a WWIII without being exaggerated. None of the characters knew what to do, their roles being taken away from them and losing sense of direction. Without the main characters, they were nothing. Raven had come back with a simple smile on her face and had told Beast boy all about it, her legs crossed Indian style on the bed and stuffing her mouth with food.

As for Beast boy, he was enjoying the time he had with her at the fullest. She looked nice when she smiled; in fact, she looked very beautiful; perhaps it was because she did not do it often. It brought a new light to her face that he didn't know she had. But it felt incredible to discover these new things about her.

Even so, by sun set, they were both tired of staying locked up in the room and doing absolutely nothing. They blames Cyborg and complained about the Titans, making fun of Star and Robin who (in their opinion) were too busy making babies to bother about Raven and Beast Boy. Beast boy commented on how Cyborg was probably taking care of his lovely 'baby' also known as the T-car and washing every spot twice over with a big goofy grin on his face.  
But in reality, all they could do was wait until their friends figured out how to get them out. Night was settling and Raven could feel her eyes getting heavy. They had taken out the covers and pillows from the filthy, broken bed and set them near the balcony, feeling the breeze touch their skins with sensual kisses.

"The flower is dying," commented Raven, her violet eyes focused on them,  
"Can you feel it?"

Beast boy nodded as he looked at her wearily.

"It feels like my energy's draining."

She turned to look at him worryingly and she had noticed that his jokes and banter had disintegrated after a while.

"I hope they get us out soon then."

Beast boy nodded and his face was lit by the thunder that struck the Earth. As soon as the loud 'boom' from the thunder reverberated around them, heavy rain started pouring down from the skies.

"How did the movie end?" she asked him, in effort to try to stop him from falling asleep.

Eyes closing, he looked like he was about to drop off any minute but after a moment, he spoke.

"They kissed and everything was ok."

Raven scoffed and mumbled something about naivety and stupidity. Beast Boy chuckled as his eyes finally closed and for a moment, Raven didn't notice. When her gaze returned to the flower, she noticed it was down to the last few petals. Her eyes went back to her friend and widened.

"You gotta stay awake," she told him, getting up from their comfortable position and shaking him awake, hearing his mumbles of '5 more minutes.'

"Don't fall asleep yet. I'm sure Cy's going to get us out any minute now…"

But she wasn't so sure about that. He was taking an awful long time.

"Cy's making out with his car," Beast Boy mumbled, but with a snore, he went back to the limbo.

"Well, then we'll find a way out."

"Mmm---and how?" he yawned and cuddled back into the pillow. She looked at him, feeling odd to see him so big and robust. All of his body was covered with the green hairs of a Beast but his eyes still held that playfulness that reminded her that this was the same Beast Boy she always knew.

"I dunno---the movie doesn't give you another option?"

He smiled as his eyes closed again.

"Don't worry," he said quietly, "The movie requires a kiss full of love and passion so even if you would to, you know…it wouldn't do much."

Raven stared at him, pondering his words. Half offended and half saddened, she slapped his face, more to wake him than anything else. He yelled and glared at her but she shrugged her shoulders.

"Why wouldn't I feel that way for you?" she asked suddenly, her tongue getting loose from her brain and blurting out things she knew she shouldn't say. She wasn't blowing up the world with her powers and her weird emotions because this was not a real world. But once they got back, she knew she couldn't talk to him as freely as she was now.

"It's you," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Maybe you don't hate me but there's a certain amount of dislike…"

She scoffed.

"No, its just that sometimes you are so immature."

"And sometimes you're so cold," he countered sleepily, "And I know its because of your powers, I know, but still…you could be nice when you want to be."

"You can understand why I'm not."

"It's ok to be frightened by it but that's why you have friends. To help you through it but every time I try to inject a little humor in our life, you push me away."

Raven sat up straight, getting a little angry at his sleeping form.

"I don't do humor."

"You don't do anything," he imitated her voice drowsily, "How am I supposed to win you over when I can't get close to you?"

"Win---win me over?"

He nodded and his face was lit by yet another ray of lightening. The rain was almost deafening around them castle and though they had no evil villain to confront them, they had something worse to confront.

Each other.

"Star got to Robin and he's like, a fortress. Why can't I get to you?'"

"You ever think I don't want you to get to me?" she asked, her words coming out harsher than she had intended.

"Then tell me that. I know you think its weird that I, out of all people, found you, out of all people, attractive but I do. You're smart and you're more gorgeous than you think you are and you smell clean, like a really girly laundry room and I dunno---I like you."

A moment of silence passed. Raven's head went into overboard and though her powers were weak, her emotions were passionate enough to make a few things shake in their position and break. Though they weren't the romantic words of the bard, it was special in a way only Beast boy could make them be. His voice had been low and sincere which is what frightened her the most. But he had been after her for weeks and she had to admit, he made her feel different. The rain continued to pour and the flower, almost forgotten, was down to its last petal.

"I'm going to be hell to be with," she warned him softly and she heard a small chuckle coming from him but her eyes were unable to look at him. Instead, she looked at the heavy rain, "And I'm a cold person when I want to be which is most of the time but I guess you know that. But maybe you and I can try, _if_ you don't go bellowing out to everyone that we're dating, we can be something more."

She looked back at him, expecting his signature grin but instead, she found him in deep sleep. Too deep.

"Beast boy…"

She shook him harshly but he didn't even acknowledge her anymore. Her eyes went back to the flower which looked as if it was dying. Panicking, she slapped his face a few times but got no smart ass response. She felt herself shake as she looked around. This wasn't her world; she didn't know what to do or who to call for. She let go of the boy and backed away, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. Her feelings were raging inside of her but she managed to keep them under control for the time being. She let out a huge sigh and looked at the rain outside.

Getting an idea, she walked over to Beast boy and took him by the legs, pulling him outside to the balcony where the rain instantly soaked them both to the bone. He spluttered as the freezing water hit him and though it took a while for him to open his eyes, he did so with a smile.

"Sorry," he growled, his voice scratchy and low, "Your speech was soooo boring."

She hit him hard and hugged him, thankful he was back to being stupid again.

"Stay awake," she told him sternly but he was beginning to fall asleep again.

"S'hard. Eyes---heavy---sleep---"

"No! Stay awake."

She peered at the flower which seemed ready to complete wither out. Passionate was not a quality she found in herself but if Beast boy could find it in him to see it in her, maybe she could too.

"Beast boy," she whispered and she was sure he could hear her, "I don't know what I see in you or vice versa but even though I'm terrified out of my skull---it also feels…nice."

A smile formed on his lips and they parted.

"Is this the part where you kiss me?" he asked jokingly. Even faced with possible death, he was still joking around with her.

She nodded but she didn't need to. He knew once he felt her breath on his lips.

It was a mere moment, less than a couple of seconds but it meant the world to both of them. The seconds passed and nothing happened. No change, no great flurry of colors and light, no hope and no happiness.

She felt a tear run down her cheek, could have beeen from the moment she was caught in or the fact that Beast boy was still not joking around with her again.

But like all great moments in life, this one did not come with a bang and certainly not how Raven or Beast Boy had envisioned it.

The world around them dropped from below them and they were sent into a hurl of wind. Raven grabbed onto him for dear life and let out a sigh of relief when she felt h is arm, not normal and less hairy, wrap around her waist.

They landed ungracefully on the cold, metallic floor in the middle of Titans' Tower, much to the surprise of an exhausted looking Cyborg and the open mouths of Robin and Starfire.

"Dudes!" yelled Beast boy as he rubbed his offended butt, "You couldn't take a little longer?!"


	23. Chapter 23

Angst- a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

Pretty much sums up the next couple of chapters. Since the wonderful final exams have started, I dunno how much writing I will be doing but its ok since my muse has totally abandoned me yet again… Thanks for the kind reviews and await a fight between our favorite couple and please keep in mind the word RESPONSIBILITY cause it's a biggie in this story.

Toodles,

Chalak

* * *

**"As a new dress grows old with time, loses its bright color, becomes stained and creased, the hems frayed and here and there the weak and threadbare place…"**

_---'Siddhartha' Hermann Hesse_

**"Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions."**

_---Crow, 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami_

**Nature's first green is gold,**

**Her hardest hue to hold.**

**Her early leaf's a flower;**

**But only so an hour.**

**Then leaf subsides to leaf.**

**So Eden sank to grief,**

**So dawn goes down to day.**

**Nothing gold can stay.**

_-- Robert Frost_

The covers stirred slightly. Silence overtook the dark room and a sense of happy peace surrounded the lovers lying close to each other on the bed. Another day had begun, another day of fighting, another day of confusion and happiness, but another day nonetheless. The same routine followed them that morning, starting with the alarm going off noisily in the otherwise quiet room and like always, Richard's bare arm shot out and slammed the clock to shut it up, dropping it to the floor with a bang. His arm disappeared under the covers and they rustled with his movement. A chuckle was heard a moment after and a voice carried out softly, intimately.

"The clock has done nothing wrong. Why must you mistreat it?"

A few locks of startling gorgeous red hair peeked out from under the covers, resting calmly on top of the pillow. Nothing could be seen from her partner, except his shape shadowed by the small amount of light trying to get into the room.

"It woke me up," he said, his voice holding a pout of childish stubbornness but there was nothing childish about the boy. He had showed her that yet again that night…a couple of times that night, actually. The two bodies moved closer together though how that was possible, only they knew. They remained there for some time, in deadly peace and neither of them knew or cared how long they slept. They were incredibly comfortable and most of all, they were deliriously content…until the small communicator on Richard's side started going off. Kori heard it and she was sure he had heard it too. He gave no incentive on picking it up or even of waking up so feigning an annoyed sigh, she climbed over his body to respond. Instantly, he awoke and threw his arms around her waist, kissing the sensitive parts of her skin. She giggled softly and swatted him gently with her free hand. She picked up the angry sounding communicator and the mask that lay forgotten on the bedroom floor and handed both to him, a smile painted on her beautiful face. He kissed her quickly on the lips, wanting very much to take his time to discover every part of the mouth that had captivated him for so long but she pushed him away, trying to keep her sanity within her while Richard was already on the verge of losing his. He gave a deep sigh as she placed the mask over his eyes, smiling when she saw him turning him into Robin once again but only in appearance. He was still Richard beneath it. He pulled his body away from hers, responding the call.

"What?" he barked to Cyborg, who looked panicked at the moment. Right away, after the haze of waking up naked in the arms of the woman he loved, Richard knew there was something wrong happening.

"Yo, we have an emergency."

Kori's eyes whipped around, alarmed but keeping her wits about her. By then, Richard had already sat up and was about to pull the covers way from his body.

"It's bad, man, real bad."

Robin gave an irritated snort and narrowed his eyes at the half robot, half man.

"What is it?" he said through clenched teeth. The once romantic atmosphere had suddenly turned grim. The sun seemed to lend less light into the room though Kori couldn't be sure if she was merely imagining this.

"We out of food, man."

At first, Kori couldn't believe what he had just said. Her hands had bunched up the bed sheets in fear of what she was going to hear, expecting it to be about Slade and his next crimes. They had heard nothing throughout the entire week; the last incident being when the Slade-bots stole all that sun absorbing equipment.

Richard, apparently, had the same reaction as Kori in his head mixed in with another emotion which he made sure Cyborg knew.

"When I get out there, tin man, I'm going to rip out every single wire and cord I can get my hand on, you hear?"

Cyborg chuckled nervously but his voice was serious when he spoke.

"Seriously, we need food. I'm starving…"

From behind him, there was another voice, higher in pitch and immediately recognizable.

"Hey, hey, who's he with? Is he with his Starry-poo? Have they been making little Robin birds…"

Kori giggled, the tension released from her shoulders and her mind. She could see that Richard was not taking these jokes in stride and she muffled a chuckle as he barked out more threats and insults. Kori burrowed herself back into the covers and closed her eyes, listening as the boys kept arguing and feeling the peace return to her again.

"…at least I didn't have to go into another dimension to get her to like me," continued Robin meanly and she could almost see Cyborg's face as he laughed loudly, giving Beast Boy a slap on his back. There was a crash and moan to confirm that he had been blasted a couple of feet away and into the wall.

"Don't mean to interrupt your little baby making session but we need to go shopping. _Urgently._"

Robin's nostrils flared and he nodded, shutting the communicator just as Cyborg was about to speak again. He shook his head at his teammates' antics and noticed Kori had lost herself in the navy blue covers again. He went in after her, pulling her closer to him and burying his face into her chest, breathing in her clean, extremely intoxicating scent.

"We really should get up," she said simply, her voice laced with drowsiness and sleep. Richard nodded, pulling her closer still.

"We should," he mumbled against her chest but made no effort to do so. She did not open her eyes but her hair went straight to his hair, gently caressing the loose strands. She loved being able to share a night with him, to see him in such pleasure and the liberties she had with him. He was as passionate a lover as he was a fighter, if not more. Maybe it had something to do with her own willingness to try anything Richard wanted but she made no qualms about enjoying their nightly activities. In fact, it had been she who decided Robin should stop working so much and go to sleep. He had argued against it, of course, this was to be expected, but after a few minutes of administrating certain influential courses of action, Robin forgot all about his work. The mountain of paper work, his obsession with catching Slade, and his worry about his next plan were all forgotten in her arms.

And did she make him forget!

He hadn't thought about it, of course, no one would think of such things about his best friend (back then, anyway) but she was always so passionate when it came to him. Everything she did for him, it was with joy and enthusiasm but he had never thought of her as being so…fiery in every other aspect of their relationship. It was hard for Richard not to get caught up in the moment and he knew, with those jade eyes, luscious lips, and incredible body, matched up with the sweet but not so-innocent-anymore smile that she always gave him that she would be the end of him.

And he loved it.

_He loved her_.

The caresses in his hair stopped or so he thought. But as he drifted off into the drowsy land of sleep, Kori brought him back.

"We need to awaken, Richard."

Groaning, he mumbled incoherently and gave her chest a small nibble, making her squeal in surprise. He tumbled out of the bed, ready to escape Kori's wrath as her eyes playfully narrowed at him but he did not hear when Kori tried to warn him about the…

"_Fuckin' alarm_!"

The bedroom floor shook as his backside hit the ground.

* * *

The day the Titans went food shopping was the day when all hell broke loose at the Supermarket. By then, they were well known to shop in that particular market, mainly because it was so big and had so much stock of basically every candy under the sun. The Titans shopped together, not because it was a friendly thing to do but the safest way to shop. That way, the cart would not be filled with Lucky Charms and Oreos instead of real food and sustenance. The market had endless rows of all different kinds of food but the Titans started out with the most problematic one. 

Meat.

"Dude, these are carcasses. You're eating rotting carcasses…"

"They're not really rotting though," said Raven as a matter of fact, earning a glare from her new boyfriend though Heaven helped you if you called him that to her face.

"Mmm-mm!" hummed Cyborg happily, his huge robotic arms filled to the brim with bacon, sausages, meat, chicken, fish, and all other kinds of dead animals one could think of. Beast Boy, who usually was inseparable from his best friend, looked at him disgustedly and excused himself from the isle, muttering something about Cyborg basically eating his best friend among other things.

Once the meats had been scaled down to a couple of packets of each and dropped into the cart, the Titans set out for the next isle hurriedly. Beast Boy always looked uncomfortable in the meat section. Starfire was used to seeing these packages of meat by now but once in a while, she would get the urge to poke through the cellophane and right through the squishy center of the ground meat and had to be pulled away from it by Raven. The Titans continued, leaving the cold frozen meat section and entering yet another battlefield.

This was the cereal and cookies section.

This time, Raven had to hold Beast boy back from grabbing every cereal in the section. He whimpered and moaned but turned into a slimy snake and slithered from her reach, getting odd glances from the other shoppers. He carried back as many boxes as he could but before he could drop them into the cart, which meant instant guarantee that it would be brought, Robin held out his staff and stopped him.

"Just three brands of cereal, Beast Boy and two boxes of each."

With a groan, Beast boy said, frustrated,

"You can't expect me to choose!"

With a glare, Robin gave the young changeling his answer. Grumbling, Beast Boy threw the boxes on the floor and took out his trusty cereal chart. It had at least twenty different brands of cereal, each color coded and with a list of pros and cons for each. The Titans sighed simultaneously at the sight and sat on the floor as Beast Boy tried to decide which cereal would be picked.

After ten full minutes of waiting, Raven got annoyed and went up to Beast Boy, who looked at her through hazy eyes and a smile on his face. Raven, however, whispered something in his ear that made his eyes widen in fear and he let out a small whimper. Raven smiled as she straightened up, satisfied that she had gotten her point across. But then Beast Boy opened his mouth,

"Kinda kinky, Raven, I never knew you had it in you. I'll teach you some things you can do with your pinky if you wanna teach me _that_..." And he waved his own pinky to emphasize the point. Raven turned a light shade of pink which was noticeable against her pale skin and growled at Beast Boy, who merely laughed and threw in the six boxes of cereal into the cart.

The cookies took yet another fifteen minutes but this was Starfire's doing. She had a real weakness for chocolates and Robin had to, yet again, put his foot down on what to buy and what not to buy. It was more about the size of the Titans' kitchen than the expense. Robin had his trusty credit card, courtesy of Bruce Wayne who pretty much paid for everything the Titans' brought. Though Robin had wanted to get out of the Batman's shadow once and for all, it was not as if he had the money to actually get out of Bruce Wayne's shadow. That said, Robin had to suck it up and accept the huge amounts of money he was given.

Not that he minded.

But that wasn't the point.

The next isle they went to was the drinks.

This one didn't give them so much trouble though every once in a while, Beast Boy would sneak in a beer or two, just to piss off Robin which is what usually happened. But as Robin was about to go up to Starfire, who seemed to be in high spirits and smiling at everything everyone said, Raven got to her first, pulling her away from him. Slightly put off, Robin backtracked and went to look for his own choice of drinks. Coffee.

"Help me pick out some teas," Raven said nonchalantly and Starfire eagerly followed. She loved it when she got to spend time with Raven. They looked through the different types of herbal teas and decided which to buy. The obvious choice was chamomile, one of the oldest garden herbs, which is used as s a medicinal plant used to battle illnesses and calm and relieve anxiety. Raven told her that the ancient Egyptians used it daily and the best kind of chamomile still comes from Egypt. They also brought anise which is used for digestive problems and coriander, also knows as cilantro and they brought it for its obvious properties. It relieves anxiety and insomnia, something all the Titans knew a little about.

But throughout this event of choosing herbs which to buy (and Starfire squealing when she looked at the coriander herb and telling Raven, as if she didn't already know, that both she and the plant had the same name) Raven whispered to her that she needed to speak to her about something rather important. Instantly perking up, Starfire lost her smile and nodded at her seriously, more because the sound of Raven's voice implied there was a significant conversation to be had between them.

Placing the packets in the cart, they continued to the last few rows, arguing and joking with each other and earning glances from those shopping there as well. The people of Jump City often interacted with the Titans; they often went to eat pizza and watch movies just like other teenagers but nonetheless, civilians would take time to awe at this group of teenagers who had saved their cities and their lives countless of times. But on days such as these, they could always be trusted to be young and fool around just like all the others.

A long battle ensued between Beast boy and Cyborg over why maxi pads had to be scented or why tampons needed to have pearls in them. It was an argument that made Raven blush to her very toes and Robin, being Robin, merely ignored the entire situation. That is, until a blast of dark energy surrounded Beast Boy and Cyborg and sent them hurtling along the air, making them fall straight on their butt before getting picked up again and being sent hurling once more. They moaned and apologized profusely but Raven merely rolled her eyes at them and set off once again.

Robin stood waiting in line to pay for the food while the rest of the team went back to the isles to do what they called 'emergency shopping' which basically meant it was their last time to beg and sneak in what they wanted into the cart without Robin knowing. They all left but Starfire, who remained behind to accompany Robin, much to his pleasure. They had been too far apart these days, what with Slade being on his mind so much. He decided that today, even though he should spent the time in the morning to search again for some answers to do with the random objects the criminal stole, he wanted to spend time with her.

Who wouldn't?

Half the men were staring at her and not because she was Starfire, the Teen Titan. It was because she was Starfire, the incredibly hot alien chick who had the body of a temptress and the innocence that made every man look at her and let their jaw drop with desire. His arm surrounded her waist, making her squeal in surprise and almost making her magazine drop. Dropping his chin on her shoulder, he looked at the magazine and his eyes widened.

"Love child?" he spluttered surprisingly, his eyes as big as saucers.

"Ah…yes. Apparently, we have conceived a small boy by the name of Orion and we are now in need of---" she narrowed her eyes to read the small print, "marital assistance for young teenage parents."

She smiled at him, a sincere smile that told him she was rather amused by both the article and his face. He got over it quick enough and chuckled, his chin dropping back to the place on her shoulder.

"Orion, huh?" he murmured, keeping his eyes on the magazine while he slapped Beast Boy's green hand when he tried to drop yet another packet of 'double dipped chocolate explosion cookies' into the cart. Beast Boy whimpered and slithered away, probably to try again later.

"That's a nice name," he continued, his eyes still on the magazine, "Orion…"

Starfire laughed, a sound that carried in the air and struck many people.

"I don't even know if we can even conceive. I mean, I am a Tamaranian and you are a terran…"

Robin scoffed.

"Love knows no bounds," he said dramatically, his over the top voice making her giggle, "I mean somehow this magazine has found a way to fit your genes with mine and have us conceive in…" he checked the date of the magazine before continuing, "…three days."

Starfire laughed, turning around in his arms. He left an arm over her shoulder but the intimacy they wanted between them was too much to be in public.

"I have to admit Robin, you are not letting your obsessiveness get the best of you and it's rather refreshing."

Robin shrugged, shaking his head negatively before Cyborg could even ask if another pound of bacon could be added to the cart. He grumbled something about selfish, spiky haired kid and walked away.

"I'm getting to realize that maybe I don't need to obsess every hour," he told her, moving another step as the line moved, "But I do want to catch him. I don't want to be caught by surprise. I already know that whatever he's planning, he's going to use the energy of the sun to power it. Question is, what's he powering?"

A frown flew across Starfire's brow.

"The sun's energy?"

He nodded and continued to move forward. Starfire didn't say anything but kept her thoughts to herself for the time being. Instead, she reflected upon Robin. Yes, he had willingly decided to go shopping with the Titans, something he would have never done before unless someone dragged him out of his room. He seemed to be taking it easy, like he was going out of his way not to make it seem like he wasn't bashing his head opne looking for answers. But last night, as Starfire pulled him away from his work, she could tell he was terrified. The way he had held her, caressed her, and kissed her told her exactly what she needed to know. They were not blind, certainly not when it came to such problematic matters and they could easily see that whatever Slade was planning, they were right in the middle of it.

But while Robin privately beat himself about it and tried to stop it from happening, Starfire let the thought enter and leave her head but never actually brought it up. She knew her responsibility to her team and no matter what, not Robin nor Slade could take that away. She was there to keep them safe and that was that. They were friends first, teammates later which is why Starfire was invaluable to them. She was willing to risk everything for her friends and she was willing to give more than what she had in order to make them happy.

They spent the next moments talking with each other as they always did but anyone who saw them could tell what was happening between them. The city had known about the two Titans' feelings for each other way before _they_ knew. There was no use in hiding it any longer though it didn't mean that you would find Robin and Starfire making out in the middle of the supermarket. The slight touches and smiles exchanged between them spoke volumes and that was enough for both of them at the moment.

Robin started unloading the dozens of packages, much to the cashier's chagrin but seeing as he was Robin, leader of the Teen Titans and protégé of The Dark Knight, she willingly began to pass the objects through the price machine, a small goofy smile plastered on her face as she watched Robin from the corner of her eyes. Starfire stifled a giggle, quite used to having countless of girls admiring Robin and in fact, Starfire couldn't blame them. He was much older now; eighteen if she wasn't incorrect and it showed in his physique, his voice, and his face that, as he was growing physically, he was also growing in spirit. Even as he leaned back against the rail of the counter, his body in a relaxed position, folding his arms against his chest and leaning on one leg, he exuded authority and respect. And that's what made girls melt.

Including Starfire.

"What did Raven want?" he asked, remembering as the Goth had pulled her away from him back at one of the isles. Starfire shrugged nonchalantly.

"She needed help deciding which herbs to buy."

Robin raised an eyebrow, a sign of doubt.

"She looked pretty serious."

Starfire gave him a passive smile.

"Herbs are a very serious subject to Raven."

Robin's gaze remained on her face, even as the young cashier called out his name timidly and Starfire knew he hadn't bought her response. His eyes lingered on hers as he turned his head to face the girl and handed her the credit car. By then, the rest of the Titans had started coming back, loud and rambunctious as always (except for Raven, of course). They helped with the loads of packages and took them to the T-car which soon became filled to the brim with food. But the Titans were used to this happening, more often that not, and those who could fly took into the air. Robin, who usually sat squished in between the chips, cookies, and…womanly…things decided to take the air route as well. Starfire gladly took him by his underarms and carried him through the air, both enjoying the flight immensely. This was as close as Robin got to flying, truly flying without the aid of his grappling hook and it was Starfire who made this possible. Next to Raven, the Titans followed Cyborg and Beast boy (who remained behind to scavenger through the bags of food) along the streets of Jump City and all who saw them in the sky paused to smile and wave.

They were the protectors of the city, the ones who risked their young lives every single day to keep the civilians safe, without no known reason whatsoever. Yet, every day they were out there patrolling the city and putting their lives on the line. But as everyone can tell you, nothing gold can stay and that was exactly what was about to happen.

The gold was about to fade…

* * *

There was a loud commotion throughout the city as the lights flickered and went off completely, bathing Jump City in complete darkness. Cyborg and Beast Boy let out a yell of surprise, unable to see where they were headed going all of a sudden. Trying to handle the car as best as he could, he drove slowly enough until he could regain his eyesight. Already, his cybernetic eye was set in night mode but unfortunately, not everyone had this gift. 

The sound of two cars crashing into each other shook the streets and whatever sound Cyborg and Beast Boy made was overcome by the intensity of the crash. The blue and copper car spun violently through the streets, hitting other cars along the way and it seemed as if nothing could stop the momentum it had caught. Like a juggernaut of metal, the car trampled other cars and civilians alike until, finally, after an excruciating couple of minutes, the car lulled into a stop, leaving a trail of car parts among other parts that looked surprisingly like the once complete Titan called Cyborg. The cars around them burst into flames, enveloping most of the street quickly, roaring with anger and fervor as it spread quickly through the metal heaps.

Up in the air, the remaining Titans had no idea what had happened to their friends but they were caught in their own conundrum. The streets went wild with worry and people panicked wildly, screaming as cars spun around them, hitting quite a few civilians. Starfire let Robin down on top of a building and threw her hand upward, a powerful bolt held in her hand. The nearest streets were filled with green brilliance and the people calmed enough to look. Raven and Robin went immediately to work, flying through the air to the calmer streets of Jump City. They needed to spread out, Robin knew that at once. The emergency generators of the city were bound to start working any minute now but until then, Robin had to keep the peace in the streets around him. He didn't even want to start thinking what else was happening in the rest of the city.

As he and Raven went to the small fires created by the multiple car crashes, he heard the anguished cry that came from Raven. With a wave of dark energy, she blew out the smoke around the broken T-car and slowly pulled out an arm, detached from its owner. Her face, usually a blank slate of feelings, looked incredibly distressed. Robin went to her quickly, calling S.T.A.R. Labs via his communicator on the way and helped her pull out the car parts from around the car itself. Starfire, who still held the orb of light in her hand, flew to the scene and gasped, her eyes widening at the sight. The civilians around them, who were a panicked mess a few minutes before, stood back to watch the scene but once the shock wore off, they too tried to help. Emergency vehicles arrived on the scene; firefighters from all over tried to fight the flames around the city. With a multitude of hands, the car was searched entirely and the Titans, with heavy, tear marked faces, pulled the remaining pieces of their cybernetic friend. Raven, meanwhile, began frantically searching for Beast boy who, in her mind, was nowhere to be found. She searched for him, physically as well as mentally but she couldn't find him in both realms. Panicking, she felt tears roll down her eyes and her powers went awry. Lamps burst around them, glass shards flying all over the place. Starfire, who helped to lift the heavy car parts with her spare hand, dropped what she was doing to go to Raven.

Whispered words of comfort ran between them among tears and wails, either from the Titans or the civilians around them but they couldn't be sure. An eternity later, the upper body of Cyborg was pulled out from the car. He did not look alive but they couldn't be sure, not with him. Thankfully, the metal truck from S.T.A.R. Labs arrived and took care of him; the woman who usually treated them went by the name of Sarah and though she was surprised to see Cyborg, (who playfully flirted with her endlessly when they were in her care) she knew she had to get over the shock and treat him as soon as possible. With a cry, Starfire lifted the car high enough for Robin to fumble in and after a moment or so, he asked for help.

He had found Beast Boy.

Battered as he was, he looked to be merely unconscious though he was losing a lot of blood from his temple. Robin slowly came out of the damage, carrying Beast boy in his arms and with Raven and Starfire by his side, he took the bruised Titan to Sarah, who looked at the boy sadly before helping Robin place him on a stretcher.

The emergency power finally came back on, erasing the darkness around the city but it could not erase the images around them. Women and men lay dead beneath cars while enraged fires devoured anything and anyone in their paths. The Titans had never felt this type of feeling, a feeling of complete helplessness. They looked around to what seemed to be like a war and felt as if their hands were tied. Images of a shattered Cyborg replayed in the heads and the blood from Beast Boy was still fresh on their clothes. Raven kept trying to keep her emotions in check but whole she tried, she failed miserably. Adding to the scene, her powers went berserk and shattered many things around them. But they were the Titans, after all. And they had one job in their hands; to protect the people of Jump City. So with no hesitation, they left their two friends in the good hands of Sarah and set off to help the civilians, who in turn, had helped them.

"Titans, help as many as you can but be careful."

Robin's words rang in her ears as she saw the city around her. Even with the emergency lights on, car crashes could be heard all over the city and since no real help could come through the traffic jams on the streets, the Titans had to discover some way to be in more than one place at a time. Starfire knew her responsibility well; to help her fellow being. But when fires struck all over town and criminals took this opportunity to take advantage of the disaster, Starfire truly realized that she and the rest of her team were the only ones who could get the city through this catastrophe. She wondered what kind of people would see this tragedy as an opportunity to rob instead of help but she discovered rather quickly that such disasters brought the best and worst in some.

It all happened rather quickly.

She noticed that an elderly couple was yelling for help and Starfire immediately responded to their call. She flew into the jewelry store and saw three masked man trying to rob the diamonds and jewelry around them. A gun was pointed at the elderly couple who had gone white with fright. The anger she felt in her very veins was pure and undiluted; she couldn't get her mind around the utter selfishness of some people. The city was in deep trouble and all these stupid, self-centered, low life scums could think of was stealing…

But her passion blinded her from fighting properly, something that always happened to her. She was often inpatient and most of the time, Robin was always the one to scold her for it. He knew what happened to her when she lost her tolerance to deal with a situation.

Today, it seemed, the world was not by the Titan's sides. Knocking two robbers down with her bolts, she looked around for the last and third one. When she couldn't find him, she went back to the old woman and man and smiled amicably at them. They thanked her profusely, making her heart lighter than it was before. Starfire started to walk the couple outside; her mind was still on that last robber. When the old couple turned around to thank her once again, Starfire had already started walking back but she turned around to nod her head at them, the smile ever so present on her face. Suddenly, the old woman's eyes suddenly widened and looked behind Starfire who turned around, her hair whipping out behind her. Through the glitter of the diamonds around her, he shot directly at the old woman out of hate and spite. Without a second thought, Starfire took the gun and pulled it away from him, making him miss his target entirely.

Raven and Robin happened to come in that very moment, tracking her down through her communicator and needing her help to move a pile of rubble off the street. They came in time to see her body jerk back as the bullet whizzed by her head and the slight impact of the bullet grazing her neck threw her back. With a cry, Robin ran directly under her and caught her as she fell to the floor. Already the wound was bleeding and swelling but she conscious and alive and that's all that mattered to him. She shook her head and tried to focus her eyes but a black light suddenly shot off Raven who looked (there was no other word for it) completely pissed off. The robber was pulled from where he stood by the dark hand and slammed against the floor, enough to shatter the bones in his body into dust. Starfire's cry was the only thing that stopped Raven from completely annihilating the man and loosing control of herself. Already, her body was emitting strange tentacle like darkness and though her eyes were closed, they could tell that someone was trying to take over.

The man did not move from his position as the police came into the store and called for an ambulance. They spotted Robin pushing Starfire's hair away from her neck and saw the river of blood flowing from the wound. The man had struck a nerve. The officers looked at Raven once again; her usual monotone face now angered and they did not dare to say anything. At once by Starfire's side, Raven tried to control her emotions and began to heal her wound. The red river continued to flow.

"I am sure he will be ok," said Starfire quietly, her voice gentle but there was a painful underside to it. Raven looked at her through her hood and nodded, knowing exactly who she was talking about and breathing deeply before trying again. Emotions flowed through Raven's body unlike ever before. There was hatred, worry, anger, fear, and rage. Most of those emotions were hers and some were of the people around her. Anger was Robin's and she could guess why. Starfire had not followed orders and it had almost gotten her killed. Worry and rage were hers, of course but so were the emotions of all those around her. She wanted nothing more than to be by Beast boy's side and an odd emotion grew out of her.

She wanted comfort.

Raven helped to speed the process of healing but the wound was still trickling a small portion of blood. Starfire thanked her and got up slowly, ready to keep on the efforts of helping. Robin looked as if he wanted to say something but he didn't; there was too much to do, too much at stake. He stood quiet and let the Titans go on their own, swallowing the bile that rose to his throat as he looked at his blood stained uniform.

For once, it was not his blood but the one he loved the most.

And he saw what he had always seen in Starfire come to life. Images of Tamaran and countless of other times flashed through his head. Times when she had risked her life for others and would continue to do so every day.

They were the city's protectors and guardians and with this in their mind, they set off to help the city recover from one of the most fatal things that had ever happened in their short history as a city.

* * *

S.T.A.R. Labs was located in a safe place in the outskirts of Jump City, a remote location where nobody ever frequented to and thus, it was deemed safe to set a small hospital like facility for the superheroes known as the Teen Titans. Here, Cyborg and Beast Boy were hooked up to countless of machines, each telling the doctors the progress of the two young heroes though they meant nothing to the rest of the team. All they wanted to know was whether they would be ok or not. The doctors gave them vague answers for though they were the best at what they did, even they couldn't properly tell them if the two strange beings would be ok. After all, one was a robot and the other a changeling. The Titans settled themselves for a long night; none of them wanted to leave the hospital, not until they knew if their friends' would be safe. 

The night passed slowly, at a snail's pace it seemed but when the sun arose in the morning again, it seemed as if it was impossible that another day was starting. Not when in the previous morning, they were waking up happy and content but most of all, they had been together. Robin was incredibly preoccupied about his friends but this merely fueled the rage inside of him. He wanted to find out why the city had been enveloped in darkness all of a sudden. There was something fishy about it; he could feel it in his very bones for his instincts were rarely wrong but the concern over his friends had swallowed him up to now.

At last, when the sun was high in the sky and the birds chirped as if nothing had happened, the remaining Titans received news from Sarah.

"Gar is going to be all right but he needs rest. He broke a couple of ribs and dislocated his shoulder but the worst is now over. He had a bit of head trauma as well so he might have a headache when you see him but that's about it."

She smiled amicably at the young Titans and averted her eyes to Cyborg's door, right next to his best buddy.

"Cy lost a lot of oil which is incredibly essential to his existence…consider it his form of blood. Most of his parts were found and reattached but he's out cold at the moment. He's recharging but until he's fully charge, we won't know the extent of what his injuries are or what he needs."

Robin nodded; he was glad that she spoke to them not as a doctor but as a friend, which made it a lot easier on the team. Sarah's speech done, Raven swept into Beast boy's room without a second thought and though the Titans were worried about their friend, they decided to wait a few minutes before entering the room. Sarah, who was removing her gloves, glanced at Starfire quickly and without hesitation, she tilted her head to the side, making her hiss with pain.

"That's going to get infected," she warned, looking closely at the bullet wound on her neck, "Let me fix you up."

Starfire nodded, glancing at Robin who no longer looked at her. He spoke, his voice different than before but then again, everything sounded different to Starfire now.

"You go with Sarah," he told her in a strict voice, not angered or even affected but merely emotionless, "I need to get back to the Tower."

Starfire wanted to deny this, to tell him that he was needed here at this moment in time and that whatever happened that day could wait until the team was back together again. She said all of this in her mind but never once said them out loud. He was bearing the responsibility again; his very composure looked heavy and arduous with the prospect of discovering why such a disaster could have happened. He too seemed to be having trouble comprehending how such a beautiful day, which started so calmly and tranquil that morning could have turned into this chaos.

He didn't wait for her to say anything to him. He turned his back to her and walked away, his footsteps echoing eerily throughout the halls of the S.T.A.R. Labs.

* * *

"How is he?" 

Raven shrugged, not because she didn't care but because she honestly could not answer her.

"His mind is drugged so it's difficult to pinpoint it."

Her face looked paler than usual and though she had eaten Mickey D's, she still looked terrible, quite frankly. She hadn't slept at all and her eyes were tired with sleep. She couldn't be blamed, of course, after all, this was a big shock to her. She and Beast boy, also known as Gar nowadays, was just coming out of the woods from his fractures. He had been awake for the first time they visited him and even though he jokes around, one could easily see he was in great pain. It did not stop him from trying to cheer them up, much to Starfire's pleasure. The only thing that got him upset was Cyborg but only until he discovered that since the teen was half robot, it wouldn't be difficult to put him back together and make him new again. Of course, this is what he was told. Actually doing it was another matter.

Nevertheless, Starfire and Raven rarely left S.T.A.R. Labs these days, opting to sleep in one of the facilities the lab had for them. Besides, Robin was still at the Tower, pounding his head open to try to figure out what had caused this upset in the city.

Raven pushed away a piece of green hair away from Gar's face and sighed, trying to keep her emotions in check. Starfire said nothing but tried to keep calm as well. She was sure her anxiousness for Robin was not helping matters with Raven. She must have noticed what Starfire was trying to do because for the first time in what seemed to be ages, she smiled gently at Starfire.

"Thanks but don't worry, I got it under control."

Starfire smiled back, her green eyes sparkling even through this whole ordeal.

"I wish to help nonetheless."

Raven looked at her thoughtfully, pondering her words before speaking.

"You remember I told you I wanted to talk to you at the supermarket?"

Starfire lost herself in the memory. X'hal, it felt like ages ago since they had been at the supermarket. In fact, it felt surreal to be thinking of such a time, as if it had happened not hours ago but lifetimes before this day. Raven didn't wait for her confirmation and merely continued.

"I was reading a book the other day when I got this image in my head. It was blurry and I was unsure of what it was but it had your aura written all over it and it took a long time for me to decipher it."

She paused, grabbing onto Beast boy's hand and holding it in her hand. She looked down at their joined hands, surprised to see just how big his palm and fingers were compared to her own small and graceful hand. She looked up, meeting Starfire's eyes with her own indigo ones.

"I fear that you are taking a leaf out of Robin's book and putting the responsibility of the team on your shoulders."

Starfire frowned but allowed her to continue interrupted.

"I mean, I see the path of evidence now that it's become clear. Every time something happens, you put yourself in danger as long as everyone else is out of trouble. When the fire happened before we left for Tamaran, Robin had to yell at you for risking your life for those people. At first, I thought he was being harsh but now I understand his concern."

She looked at Starfire through her weary eyes and she felt as if Raven could see right through her.

"Every time something happens, you deem yourself as discardable and put yourself out in danger for your friends, your planet, the planet…and I know I'm not the only one's noticed."

Starfire didn't speak; she had no idea what to say. She had never though of it that way but one message did hit home with her.

"It is everyone's responsibility to take care o each other," Starfire said softly, speaking as seriously as Raven had ever heard her, "But when the time comes to protect my family from any trouble or danger that may come our way, I will be there to take the blow."

"_If_," said Raven with a frown, "_If_ the time comes…"

Starfire nodded, smiling apologetically but Raven did not smile back. She looked at the wound on her neck and a dark feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. She suddenly wished they had spent more time at the supermarket and that she had listened to Gar when he was trying to tell her the latest knock-knock joke. She hoped that the small amount of time they had spent with each other in the course of three years would not end so suddenly.

But in reality, the end had already begun.

* * *

Damn you muse for leaving me once again... 


	24. Chapter 24

This chapter killed me. Since my muse escaped with my reincarnated half evil sister, Juanita, I tore half my scalp off doing this. On a seperate note, please try to listen to these songs. I really reccommend these two artists.

* * *

_What ravages of spirits_

_Conjured this temptous rage?_

_Created you a monster_

_Broken by the rule of love?_

_And fate has led you through it_

_You do what you have to do_

_And fate has led you to it_

_You do what you have to do._

**---Song: 'Do what you have to do', by: Sarah Mclaughlin (her songs roc my sox)**

_Satan, you know where I lie_

_Gently I go into thy good night_

_All our lives get complicated search for pleasures over-rated_

_never armed our souls_

_For what the future would hold_

_When we were innocent._

_Angel! Lend me your might_

_Forfeit all my lives to get just one right…_

**---Song: innocent, by: Fuel (if there's one song that captures Robin/Starfire, it's this one)**

Robin kept his communicator on him at all times, expecting a call from Raven any moment that would tell him that his teammates were doing fine and had passed through the night safely. While he waited for this call, he submerged himself in the sea of paperwork from the city's only electrical company. The reports all said the same thing. There had been a power outage of massive proportions because of an electrical leech, as they were calling it. The reports continued to try to explain this description. Apparently, there must have been an incredibly powerful machine that had the capacity to absorb the available energy resource from the entire city. As the improper name of leech had described, this machine had sucked the city's power for a good, long time. Even as he stood there, the only energy available during the daylight was the sun but once the sun set upon the city, it was plunged into somber darkness once again. The emergency power would come on at night but only for a certain amount of time. It was shut off promptly at eleven o'clock at night, to conserve the energy and get people off the streets. The police had been working hard to keep crime down but no matter how many patrols were out there, there was always a store or two that had been looted in the shadows of the city.

It actually reminded him a lot of Gotham.

As for Robin, while looking through the stacks of paper, there was only one thing in his mind.

Slade.

Robin was more than sure _he_ had been the one to set this off. It all fit perfectly. All the equipment he had stolen…if assembled together, they had the capacity to become a power parasite of monstrous capacities. Robin kicked himself repeatedly for not catching on to this sooner and like always, he blamed himself for the troubles his 'mistake' had caused. If only he had spent more time with his work instead of Starfire, if only he had realized what the small parts Slade had stolen where for, if he only realized that Slade was not the type of villain to think twice before setting off such a chain of events….but they all came back to his 'if only' and _that_'s what killed him.

By now, Robin had broken his head open to think why Slade had stolen technology to absorb the sun's energy when he dried the city of their electrical power. But for what? The parts that he had stolen were not all machine parts. In fact, Robin had failed to notice (something that had instantly sent him raging again) that while the Titans had been in Tamaran, Slade had stolen prosthetic body parts from many laboratories around the city, including a city very near Gotham. These reports had not been reported properly by the Titans East and had bypassed Robin's mind but now that they were laid down in front of him, Robin carefully poured himself over them. The small candle by his table gave off enough light to allow him to see but anyone else would have told him he was killing his eyesight. It didn't matter to him though, as long as he found out what Slade was planning.

What are body parts good for?

To form a body, of course.

What kind of body had Slade created?

Well, what other clue had Slade given them? Who would he want to recreate? Perhaps himself, to have another psychopath to enjoy time with.

Probably not.

He wasn't the type to share power, not even with himself. He strived for perfection; that was for sure. He had sought out Robin because he had seen himself in the teen hero. Strong, confident, powerful…could it have been him?

Of course!

He had stolen the files from S.T.A.R. labs for a reason. Both of the disks had not been labeled but one of them had contained Robin's information, physically as well as genetically. Uplifted at getting ahead in his search, his eyes gazed at the papers around him. He needed confirmation of his hypothesis and the best way was to research the reports around him. His hands grazed the papers, his eyes moving back and forth so fast that they almost blurred behind his mask. There were the reports of the body parts, the metal he had stolen to absorb the sun's energy, the adamantium, the files of the Titans…

He seemed to be wanting to create a super strong robot. The adamantium was used by the government only; it was very expensive and very hard to work with. When successful, the adamantium could only be destroyed in extreme heat or radiation. If used in robots, it could become a juggernaut of strength. Robin could believe that this was what Slade wanted. A robot could be powerful and dominant but without agility or skills, it could be a blundering mess.

Then again, could Robin be certain it was him?

He was so absorbed in his work that he barely registered the soft swish from behind him. It was not until he heard the soft taps of heels against the floor that he reacted the only way he knew how to at the moment.

Whipping out his bo-staff, he aimed right at the neck of the intruder, be it friend or foe. Starfire barely gasped but she did raise an eyebrow toward him. He lowered his bo-staff at once, his weary eyes turning back to the papers. Facing his back, Starfire brought her hands together in front of her and said his name softly, something his bedroom had heard often from her lips. He hummed to announce he had heard her but did not bother to turn. Expecting this, Starfire merely walked toward him and placed the plate within reach. It contained a chicken sandwich, which smelled rather delicious to those who enjoy eating but that was below Robin at the moment. Neither food nor any other necessity meant much to him at the moment.

"It has all your favorite condiments," she said softly, turning her head to her right and facing him. His profile was that of a very concentrated man and though anyone in the team would see _it_ too, Starfire's heart broke to see _it_ as well.

Guilt.

"Please do not blame yourself, Robin," she said as gently as she could. At times like these, she felt she needed to be careful around him. He was so young and yet, he carried so much on his shoulder that it didn't seem fair to her at all. But that was who he was and for her to think otherwise was disrespectful to her as a friend and lover.

"For whatever reason you find that somehow this is your fault, I beg you not to," she sighed, "perhaps this is a wake up call to remind us that we are still here to protect the city. I mean to say, there have not been many villains lately…"

Robin nodded but he seemed far away from Starfire, like his body was there as was his mind but his heart was not. Still, he nodded and spoke. Even his voice sounded distant but they were full of passion nonetheless.

"You're right about one thing," he conceded, adding with a harsh nod, "It has been a wake-up call."

The way he said it made her go cold all of a sudden. Her hands clasped in front of her chest unsurely, her eyes going to look at the sandwich in front of them. It was still warm and delectable; the scent of it would have made anyone's mouth water. Anyone but Robin.

"I've been ignoring my duties. I've been so caught up in…other business that I've not been following what this psycho's been doing."

He took a look at the sandwich, glaring at it as if it was its fault for the whole mess that had happened.

"I hate to say it, mostly because I hate admitting that I was wrong but---there was some sense in what Bats always used to say to me."

He turned to face her, his face looking humanistic once again. There was an emotion in it rather than pure concentration.

He looked rather apologetic.

"You have become a sort of distraction in my life as Robin," he said to her truthfully, watching her face carefully for her reaction. When she gave none, he continued.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not like we're going to break up or anything but---I wish I'd spent more time in my work, ya know?"

She nodded, her face unreadable which made Robin a tad uncomfortable. He was always able to read the emotions in her face; she was never one to hide them from anyone, most especially from him.

"There is only so much time in one's day," she answered whimsically, her shoulders shrugging, "How you spend that time is up to you but I do hope you are not telling me you regret our time together."

"No," he said quickly and he would have laughed if solemn thoughts weren't in his head, "but I do know that things need to change for now. I need to focus on _this_," he signaled to his table, "rather than…"

"Me," she finished for him.

He nodded.

Her eyes wandered to his papers, unwilling to say anything. Her feelings weren't hurt; in fact, she had expected this from him a long time ago. If anything, it had surprised her that he had been so willing to spend so much time with her instead of doing what he had just mentioned. She wished it wasn't so, she wouldn't have let him believe that the weight rested on his shoulder but she wouldn't give him the opposite impression either. Take that away from him and you leave Robin bare and lost. Being a hero and being responsible is what made Robin the Boy Wonder. She would let him work, yes, and let him break his head open looking for answers but she would never let him believe he was solely responsible for the team or the city.

That's what a team meant. They all took the responsibility equally.

"Any news on Cy and Beast boy?"

Shaking out of her reverie, Starfire nodded. The ghost of a smile graced her lips but never quite reached her eyes.

"Cyborg has been repaired. He is up and walking and I have been informed he is quite excited to kick the butt once again. Beast Boy, on the other hand, needs bed rest. He took the shock harder than Victor."

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Victor?"

Starfire gave a real smile this time.

"It was the first time I called him that and he too looked surprised. I wish we could use our names more often, they truly are magnificent."

Robin said nothing but continued to look through the papers. He felt as if he was missing an important clue but with all the reports scattered around in his desperation for an answer, he couldn't pin point it.

"Robin," she called his name out softly, like she didn't want to scare him or catch him off guard. He hummed at her in response.

"Are you doing it again?"

Her question was simple in many ways and at the same time, it was so complicated. _Yes, _he should have said_, I am. The weight is on my shoulders once again. It is my fault that I didn't catch this bastard in time. It is because of me that fourteen people died and dozens more were injured, including my friends. You almost got killed once again because of your complexity of saving others rather than watching out for yourself. Once again, I felt that dread in the pit of my stomach, like when we were in Tamaran and you disappeared in that cloud of smoke, and I know for a fact that you will be my demise. I hate, hate, HATE to admit that Batman was right, like always, and what's worse, I HATE to admit that I don't give a damn; that because of you, of what you make me feel and what you make me see, I am willing to risk you and myself for these moments that we have together. Yes, Koriand'er, I am doing it again._

Instead, what he actually said was,

"I don't know what you're talking about."

But Starfire had heard everything he had thought, loud and clear.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Without looking at her, he responded.

"I wish you wouldn't either."

"Do what?"

There was a blatant look coming from Robin.

"Don't act dumb," he said seriously, "If I have a complex of always feeling responsible, you have a complex of almost getting killed."

"If this is about the revolver…" she sighed but she need not go on. Their argument had started already. For all this time, it had been at the tip of their tongue. _The argument_. It was about to flare.

"Yes, Star, it's about the gun. You never seem to realize that you are just as important and the people you are trying to save."

"I realize that, Robin but I also realize I can take the hit better than they can."

"No, that's the point!" he fumed angrily, his eyes narrowing at her and pointing an accusing finger at her chest, "That's exactly my point. One doesn't think like that. _I can take the hit…_what stupidity is this?"

"I would the same for you and you would do the same for anyone else," she said angrily, not liking the tone he was taking. It was too accusing, too raw for her. "I don't understand why you get so upset when it's our responsibility."

"Yes, but you take it too far---"

"_I _take it too far? _Me_? I do not starve or lock myself in my room for hours. I do not take the entire fault upon my shoulders and age myself so much in the name of responsibility."

"No, you just go ahead and try to get killed," he deadpanned. Her words had hit a nerve.

"Don't pretend to know everything about me, Star, 'cause you don't. Just because I've decided to share a few things with you doesn't mean you understand everything about me."

Starfire's face blanched.

"No, Robin, I know you better than you think," she said softly but the underlying meaning was strong, "It is _you _who can't seem to understand what you're feeling."

Robin gave her a dark look, his mask's eyes narrowing sinisterly.

"This is a pointless argument," she cut him off, wanting nothing more than to just fall in his arms and bury the pain away, "You and I will get no where."

"No, you came in here to talk so now we talk," he argued back, his nostrils flaring with frustration, "Slade is planning something huge and something's going down. I wanna get this out before something happens…"

"What's going to happen?" she asked, a tad scared at the prospect of Slade's plans but also, just wanting the argument to stop. Besides, Slade's plans had never brought anything more than heart ache.

"I dunno," he mumbled with an irritated tone, running his gloved hand through his hair, spiking it more than what it already was but his attention was slowly turning. "I dunno but its going to be big. Bigger than anything he's ever done before."

"It involves us?"

He nodded, his mouth set in a grim line.

"You?" she asked timidly, instantly regretting asking the question. She needn't to see his nod. Her heart fell to her stomach and she had to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. She had told herself before never to cry again but never to cry for herself. She would shed oceans for Richard.

"It's the files he stole. Maybe he's trying to clone me or something--- I dunno with this psychopath."

Starfire walked closer to him, taking his arms in her hands and holding it against her. She didn't say anything but she didn't need to. He allowed her to hold him like this, close but not too close. He was still Robin after all. At this point, Starfire didn't care. She took him in her arms and buried herself in him. She was scared, worried, terrified--- a whole mix of emotions she didn't know she was capable of feeling at once. Not for herself, always for him. She felt him tense in her arms but that only made her push herself toward him even more. She crushed her nose in his neck, letting his scent fill her being and wallowing in the intensity of it. She was scared for him, for them, and for what it meant at the end. He had been right when he told her that responsibilities would separate them. It had already caused a rift between them in the sort amount of time they had together. What did that mean for their future?

When they separate, Robin gives her a kiss. It was different than the other kisses they had shared before. This one was more artificial, more like two fellow Titans kissing than two lovers, more to give her comfort than to share a sentiment. She urged to find Richard in him, to make him come out and hold her and tell her they would be all right. But Richard never arrived. Instead, Robin pushed her away gently and had that serious look on his face. It was time to face reality.

The alarms around Titans' Tower went off violently, alerting them of trouble. Slade had finally made his appearance in Jump City. The red lights sent their faces into sharp view but neither of them moved. They stared at one another for some time, their eyes meeting in some sort of abandon of who they were. This was the moment they would remember for the rest of their lived. She couldn't see his blue eyes but by now, after waking up with him in the mornings and seeing that heavenly shade of cerulean when her eyes opened in the morning and before her eyes closed at nights, she could imagine them looking back at her. His lips were swollen with their previous kiss and she had an urge to kiss him again but she didn't. Instead, they walked side by side out of the room and left their lives behind.

A random paper fell from the crowded table, landing face up on the floor.

It was a report Robin had been looking for. It stated all the uses of one particular machine Slade had stolen. The sun phlebotomizer; a powerful machine that could absorb the power of the sun with a single touch.

The door shut and left the room in total darkness.

* * *

Slade had been spotted in a small cemetery in the lower district of Jump city. He had been caught doing nothing but waiting against one of the tombstones that resided in the deserted place. Raven had commented on the irony of making Slade wait for them but for once, her words fell on deaf ears. Robin and Starfire were too caught up in their own drama to hear anything else and Cyborg was still trying to repair himself on the way. He and Beast Boy had insisted on coming. Not even Raven's pleas had stopped them though it had scared them to no end. Raven did not plead; she commanded. But today was not a normal day.

On the way to the cemetery, Raven had asked Starfire to fly with her, something that instantly told everyone else that there was an important discussion between the two. Starfire waited for Raven start. She did not feel like having a conversation at all, not at this moment, _not at all_, in fact. But when Raven started speaking, Starfire had to swallow her fear and listen.

"You and Robin seem prepared for the worst," she said in a very off handed way, as if trying to be casual about the whole thing, something Raven did not do. "Why?"

"I fear he and I will be tested today. Somehow."

Raven continued to glide next to Starfire. The streets below them were empty and dark, completely abandoned by the civilians of Jump City. The light had not yet returned and the officials of the city had hypothesized that they would be without light for quite some time.

"He knows what Slade's planning?"

Starfire nodded sadly.

"Like always, it includes him, right?"

Raven didn't need to see her nod to understand her concern. Shaking her head, Raven gave a loud sigh.

"He's so obsessed with him…" she pondered out loud, "But it doesn't really make any sense, though. Why would he want all that technology for then?"

Starfire shrugged, her shoulders feeling heave. Her whole body felt heavy.

"I do not pretend to understand the thoughts of a crazed man."

There was a moment of silence which Starfire broke quite suddenly.

"Raven?"

The young woman turned her head, her violet eyes meeting darkened green ones. She frowned, suddenly wishing that Starfire wouldn't say whatever she was going to say.

"If there ever comes a time when you need to protect the Titans, you will not hesitate, yes?"

Raven frowned, a small crease appearing on her otherwise lifeless face.

"Yeah---" she said slowly, not knowing where Starfire was going with this.

"No matter what, you would protect the Titans first and foremost?"

"Star—"

"Answer, please," Starfire said, not angrily but certainly with a sense of anxiety. Raven said she would, more to ease her concern than anything else. Starfire nodded, looking relieved but Raven didn't understand. As they continued flying, Raven had the feeling that Starfire knew…no, she felt like something was going to happen. Even to Raven, who was supposed to be the expert on the area, she could not understand what Starfire seemed to understand.

It was with a heavy heart that the two girls stopped flying and landed in front of the cemetery. The T-car squealed to a stop and the rest of the Titans got off. Crossing underneath the arch of the cemetery door, they walked through the soft ground, quietly and softly. The air smelled sweet and the fragrance that reached their nostrils was pleasant, calming even. But after a moment of searching and the fragrance of the cemetery seeping through their pores, they saw him. It was a creepy sight to see this shadow of a man resting comfortably against the marble stone, his arms crossed nonchalantly against his chest and the armor of his suit reflecting off the moonlight. He looked right at home in the middle of tombstones marking the presence of deceased loved ones. He had been by himself when the Titans arrived but as soon as they set foot towards him, an army arrived out of the earth.

"They popped out like daisies," whispered Beast Boy in shock, his eyes widening at the sight. Raven gave him a strange glance, almost amused by his comment…or glad to hear him joke around once again.

Slade pushed himself to an upright position, appearing from the darkness like in a Hitchcock film.

"Titans, I hope I find you well on this evening."

His voice was the same deep, throaty sound of malice personified. He looked the same as ever, with his deep orange and black armor on and the mask that, like Batman's, meant to inspire fear. The Titans stood their ground, prepared for any surprise Slade offered.

"I have come to collect my last piece," he informed them nonchalantly, his footsteps as he came toward them were slow and muffled by the supple ground beneath them.

"Back off," Robin barked, his bo-staff wiping out from behind him and hitting his stance, "We've brought you down before, this time it will be no different."

Slade paused in his strides and let out a soft chuckle. It sounded like something an animal would make, a growl of a panther or a wild beast.

"No, Titans, it has not been _me_ whom you have brought down. _You_ have brought yourselves down. I have been merely the catalyst that sets off the chain. But tonight, I have no intentions to fight. I am past our petty quarrels. I have bigger things planned."

The robots began to walk, ready to attack the Titans who themselves had been prepared for this.

"I have come to collect the last piece," he repeated, his voice laced with purpose, "And no one will stop me."

The robots leaps into battle, landing in front of Robin who immediately charged ahead, breaking the ranks among the machines with a single swoop of the bo-staff. His purpose was Slade and nothing would deter him from it. _Let him be captured, let him be stolen once again by this dark figure. He had beaten him once and he would do it again_. Through the rampage of swings and kicks, Robin managed to break through and with a feral roar, he immediately began attacking his arch nemesis. But like always, Robin felt like a child attacking this mural of power. His blows and his kicks did not hit his appointed target but rather, Slade easily blocked and moved fluidly against them. Robin could hear the battle cried from his fellow teammates behind him, fueling him to go on. Slade leapt back, an attack narrowingly missing him. He was lit by the explosion coming from Cyborg's sonic canon, his sharp armor coming into view.

"You won't get what you want," said Robin poisonously, the threat coming out like a snake that slithers its warning. He jumped into battle once again, his bo-staff connecting with the metal bands around Slade's arms. Slade took hold of Robin and threw him against a tombstone, knocking him backwards and sending chunks of rocks flying through the air. Robin groaned, getting up attentively and ignoring the pain that shot up from his spine.

"You have no idea what I want," Slade murmured, kicking Robin in his rib cage, sending flying backwards.

"You have no idea what I am planning," he kept on, dragging the young Titans by his collar and holding him eye to eye.

"You are merely a child trying to play the hero."

Robin growled as his fist tried to connect with the man's jaw but instead, the man send him hurtling across the ground once again. This time, Robin gave him no time to attack and with his muscles aching, he sent a roundhouse kick in the man's direction, jerking him backwards. Slade did not fall but merely stumbled. That was enough for Robin who took the opportunity to pick up his bo-staff and throttle it against the mask, slamming him backwards with a great force. Slade slid back, taking in the multiple attacks Robin sent his way before his hand shot out and grabbed Robin by the neck, taking advantage of the small opening in the boy's attacks and pushing him down onto the ground. Slade recovered enough to punch his leg onto the boy's back, causing him to cry out in pain. Robin felt disoriented for a moment but it was enough for Slade to disappear into the darkness. Robin carefully looked around, his vision becoming blurry but he shook his head, trying to get himself back into the fight. He could see Cyborg punching through a robot's skull in his peripheral vision while Raven held of a multitude of Slade-bots with her dark powers.

Slade was no where to be found.

He joined in the attack with Beast Boy who, with a hurl, sent him straight into battle. Jumping off the back of the green rhino, he took a couple of disks from his belt and sent them flying through the air. The explosion shut down a dozen robots but they seemed to be multiplying faster than they were disappearing. Somewhere above him, he heard a familiar feminine yell and the next moment, a huge crash could be seen a few feet away from him.

He shielded his eyes from the dust and saw Starfire being attacked a more than a dozen of robots. Cyborg was instantly by her side, blasting through the blockade of bots. The two Titans fought them together which gave Robin enough time to look around once again for Slade.

_He saw him_.

Running through the dark shadows of the cemetery, Slade looked back as he ran and Robin could almost see the twisted smile behind the mask. Suddenly, he was surrounded by the robots, shielding Slade from Robin and allowing him to run off. As Robin tried to fight them off, he noticed they were rounding up on him. They were obstructing his view which, at the moment, focused only on Slade. Through the wild punches and kicks he sent, Robin looked around for someone who could stop him.

"Starfire," he cried, landing on his hands after an attack and grabbing the robot's advancing fist with his ankles, "Catch him!"

He did not need to explain who 'he' was. Starfire nodded and even in his awkward position, he could see she had taken quite a beating. Her hair was a mess, completely in disarray and wildly curling around her face which held traces of scratches and purple wounds. Still, with determination, she sped off to find the man, leaving a thin haze of her green light behind her.

"Everyone, try to follow her!"

But that was easier said than done. Raven tried enclosing the rest of the robots in her dark shields but her powers were not so great as to contain them all. Beast Boy and Cyborg worked together, not having enough strength to go at the attack individually. Robin joined his team and nodded at Raven, who after three years of working side by side with Robin knew exactly what he was going to do. Encasing them in her shield, she looked away as the small orb was sent up into the air and exploded, wiping out the remaining robots around them. As the shield went down, Robin began to run in the direction Starfire had gone, his communicator open and pointing the way.

* * *

Starfire was exhausted. The robots seemed incapable of giving up. Even after she had complete annihilated them, they would somehow pick their pieces up and attack once more. She felt drained, both physically and emotionally. But with her target running ahead of her, she knew better than to feel the fatigue and let it command her. She flew on ahead, her hands powering up and sending a bolt in front of Slade. The ground spewed rocks and dust and after a moment, she could see his silhouette against the hazy white background. They were not off the cemetery grounds but this place was creepier. There were nothing but huge mausoleums as far as the eyes could see. They created a labyrinth that led into darkness and the smell wasn't so pleasant here. It was sour and bitter, like something that was left to rot.

"Surrender," Starfire warned, landing on her feet and lighting up the night with her orbs, "We will prevail."

"I have yet to obtain what I came for,'" Slade reasoned, his voice maintaining a hint of amusement.

"You will not obtain Robin once again," she growled, the intensity clear in her voice and violent green eyes.

"Who said anything about Robin?" droned Slade, his hand reaching behind him, "This has always been about you."

Star's eyes widened.

Starfire did not have the capacity to fight against the man; Robin could barely handle Slade himself. When he came at her, with his quick and swift movement, all Starfire could do was try to dodge and back up. When she saw an opening, which was not often, she attacked, whether it was with her own super strength or her bolts. This merely pushed Slade back for a moment before he prepared for the next attack. With two heavy bo-staffs in his hands, Slade continued to beat Starfire as hard as he could. For her part, she did her best to attack back. They smelt the stench of burned skin, the skin came alive right off his arm as a bolt whizzed by him. With anger, he brought down the staff on top of her, making her crash into the ground. Starfire recovered from this attack and with an upward thrust, her hand closed around his throat, earning a gargled moan from the man. She stood up carefully, keeping her eyes on him as she pushed him back against the ground, creating a pit around him. The force she exerted was great, enough to knock out any human being.

But Slade was not your average human being.

He kicked her legs out from underneath, using his knowledge of weak points instead of brute strength which would do very little to harm the super strong alien. She yelped in surprise as her back met the ground. Suddenly, his weight was on top of hers and she panicked. His hands went around her neck, strangling her and making her jerk beneath him. She tried to push him back but to no avail. Perhaps it was the fact that she couldn't breathe or perhaps it was for some other reason but her world blurred and her head began to pound. The blood in her veins began to burn and she felt sick to her stomach. Something cold prickled the skin around her neck and made the world jolt violently around her. Panicking, she tried to yell out but by then, Slade had already brought down his hand to silence her.

Her world turned black.

* * *

That was the position the Titans were met with as they skidded to a stop. Robin could feel the bitterness running through his body as he jumped ahead to assault the man without warning. He landed a few feet away from the scene; Slade held an unconscious Starfire in his arms, her temple open and spewing blood. Robin's eyes narrowed as he let out a vicious growl. Surrounded by darkness and with the moonlight offering little light, he looked more beast than man.

"Let her go," he said dangerously, more like a warning than a threat, "Your concern is with me. I'll come willingly."

He retracted his bo-staff to show that what he said was true. The rest of the Titans stood behind him, surrounded by the tall gothic-like mausoleums in the cemetery. The place was sinister enough without the sound of laughter coming from Slade.

"You, my dear boy? Why does it always have to be you?" he looked down upon Starfire's figure as she moaned softly in his arms, "Same selfish, self centered thinking as always, Robin. Have you ever thought that you do not interest me anymore?"

Robin said nothing. He heard a soft swoosh behind him and the whimper that Beast Boy gave.

"Not them again…" muttered Cyborg tiredly before an explosion went off behind them, sending most of the Titans onto the floor. At once, taking his opportunity, the robots attacked them again, viciously trying to get their attention and let their boss run. But Robin was not to give up so easily. With fury unmatched and never before witnessed, he demolished everything that stood in his way until he could only see Slade who jumped on top of the mausoleum's rooftops and leapt from one roof to another with quick agility. Robin, already tired from all the battling he had done, tried his best to keep up. The adrenaline running through his veins helped and the worry and anger he felt only pushed him further.

With each jump, Robin felt his tired muscles cry for rest. Slade didn't even look back; he kept on pouncing from roof to roof, not caring for the dead and living alike. Starfire shook like a rag doll in his arms and Robin briefly wondered how in the world Slade must have knocked her out. She wasn't an easy person to collapse from a fight. With that in mind, Robin tried not to think of what Slade could have possibly have done to her.

They had reached the end of the cemetery. Slade jumped from the last mausoleum in the cemetery and threw well placed disks where he landed. A few seconds later, Robin landed on target and the disks came to life, sending powerful shocks throughout his body. He cried out in pain, his body convulsing with grief as the shocks did their work. In only a couple of seconds, his body dropped to the ground, smoking and letting off a foul smell of burnt plastic. His head elevated to look at Slade who stood in a triumphant stance, looking down upon the broken boy.

"Take a good last look, boy, this is the last time you'll see your little girlfriend."

He looked back upon the mausoleums to see the Titans speeding toward their leader. Slade took a few steps backwards, toward the cliff that began a couple of feet away from him. The cliff was gorgeous at night. The moonlight bathed the opening in shadows and lights, making it seem as if the Earth had opened up one day with great fury and ardor.

Paying no attention to the Titans, Robin got up on his feet again, feeling slightly woozy and extremely exhausted. His vision was horrible but even so, he could see Starfire awakening in the madman's arms. Her bright green eyes illuminated his mask as he looked down upon her terrified face. With his aching and protesting body, Robin ran toward them, gasping for breath and praying to the gods that he could reach her in time. Slade said something to him, perhaps an ironic comment or something worse; Robin couldn't be quite sure nor did he give a damn. What he saw was far more horrible than what Slade could have said.

Without hesitation, Slade tightened his hold on Starfire who was fighting with all her fury to get away from him. Her kicks and punches seem to do nothing but Robin _did_ notice the silver collar around her throat and the beeping lights that came from it. His eyes traveled to her face as Slade bordered on the rocky edge. Robin sped toward her, his breath coming in a ragged way and his vision becoming blurry once more but this time it was not because of his weariness. Her eyes looked at him sadly, neither begging to be saved nor telling him to stay away. She looked tired as well, defeated and powerless.

Her hands extended towards him as Slade jumped over the edge and she uttered his name, the same way his mother had done all those years ago.

"Robin…"

Her eyes widened and a couple of stray tears fell from them, lingering in the air. Her hair whipped in front of her, the fiery red strands reaching for him as well.

He skidded to a stop at the edge of the cliff, his mind stopped working as he saw his mother's face clearly in his mind's eye. The same hands extended from Starfire, forever reaching to be saved by him as his mother had done once. But Robin merely remained at the edge, his body suddenly unable to move or act. His brain was just as foggy and useless as his body but he could see everything clearly nonetheless. Just as suddenly as Slade had jumped, Starfire disappeared beneath the natural darkness of the mouth of the cliff.

Robin prepared himself to jump; in fact, his legs had already taken a step forward when a pale hand from behind him stopped him.

"You don't know what's down there," the girl's voice said softly, "First we must prepare before we can go rescue her."

But Robin didn't say anything. Tired, devastated, and traumatized by the experience, he dropped to his knees with a heavy thud and looked down upon the ground. His uniform was torn and dirty, his hair was a mess, and his handsome face was scratched and bleeding. The warm air that came from within the hole of the cliff wafted toward them, smelling oddly sweet and familiar.

Robin didn't notice.

His eyes were still watching her fall, just as he had done before.

His past was repeating itself.

* * *

See ya 


	25. Chapter 25

Can I just say that these chapters kill me? I mean, where's the action...oh that's right, in the next chapter. But yeah, next chapter is uber exciting. Thanks for reviwing, all of you (all three...) Once again, I must inform you that my muse has left me and I feel like this isn't the best writing I could do. So, let's not talk about the grammar mistakes please..

* * *

_No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world._

**- Aristotle**

_Anger is one letter short of danger_.

**--- Author Unknown**

Starfire awoke in darkness. Opening her eyes, she could barely see her hand in front of her. She wasn't tied or bound to anything but she didn't need to be. The minute effort of raising her hand near her face felt like she was trying to raise a two ton boulder with her fingers. She tried to summon the energy from her veins and into her hands to create a bolt bright enough to shed some light in her dark surroundings but she found that she could not. Her body was too tired, her mind felt drugged from the hit on her temple. It throbbed viciously, making her grimace with pain. She had no idea how much time she spent lying on the hard, cold floor but to her, it felt like hours. Her eyes were tired and yet she kept waking up every couple of minutes, in fear and in pain.

Somewhere in the middle of her delirium, she could feel the claws of the Gordanians upon her body. It smelled putrid in her cell but as a slave, she could not complain. The Gordanians would make sure she would stay healthy enough to work and this way, they would be able to sell her. When the creaking noises of the cell doors would open, that's when she would wake up, bathed in sweat and tears. Not a sound could be heard except the low drips of water unto a metal or the occasional squeaking of rats. That's when she knew she wasn't with the Gordanians. Nevertheless, the place where she was at the moment wasn't any better. Starfire curled up into a ball and shivered, her uniform covering little of her body.

But a certain part of her, through all this misery, felt happy it was her in this cage and not Robin.

The lights were clicked on and slowly, a wave of bight illumination reached her, making her cover her sensitive eyes against it. The motion made her groan in pain but she raised her head nonetheless to see the man walking up to her. He was the man who not only haunted Robin's dreams but hers as well. He incited fear with his presence, because of his physical abilities or perhaps because of his sick mentality---could be both. He walked to her like an intruder, slowly and deliberately, seizing her up in countless of ways.

She was in a simple cell, with a raggedy bed and nothing else. Currently, she was lying on the hard floor, curled up into a fetal position. The cut she had received from the blow Slade had given her became a huge purple welt on her otherwise clean face. He appraised her from the other side of the cell bars, leaning on one leg and crossing his arms across his chest. With a violent growl, Starfire threw the pain in her body away and launched herself against the bars, her body slamming against the metal and making her wince.

"What do you want from me?" she spat, her eyes narrowing as she looked upon him. She could tell by his voice that he was merely amused by her reaction.

"I want many things, my dear but first, I must take us away from this place. No doubt your little boyfriend and friends are coming to take you away and I can't have that."

"Running away?" she snorted with raised eyebrows, her nostrils flaring with every word she said.

"Merely readjusting," he offered, coming closer to her. So close in fact that she could reach out and grab him. She was already thinking of a way to knock him out. She could easily grab his neck and slam him against the bars that held her captive. Her body prepared for the strike, one hand itching to grab hold of him while the other tingled with her starbolt. The pain was gone with the prospect of escaping. But Slade was never caught off guard nor was he an idiot.

She was in the palm of his hand.

Quite literally.

As her fingers stretched, her eyes went to the small control in his hands before her vision collapsed. Her lips opened in a soundless cry as her eyes tightened shut. There was pain all over her body, not in one spot or even several places but traveling all over her very veins. She doubled over in pain, scraping her knees against the floor and holding back the urge to vomit. When the pain subsided, an eternity later, I seemed, she pried open her eyes, breathing heavily and noticing her knees were still bleeding.

_Why wasn't she healing?_

Her eyes caught the last flash of light around her neck and her hand touched it. It felt cool to the touch but it was heavy and warm against her neck. The smell of burnt skin reached her nostril, making her eyes water. Slade noticed and he chuckled, kneeling as he waved his control in front of her.

"Power suppressant, dear child, especially made for your powers. It also allows me to keep you in check with these wonderful shocks."

"You may suppress my natural abilities," she groaned through gritted teeth, her eyes meeting his face, "But what about my starbolts?"

Slade chuckled, utterly entertained by her.

"By all means, try to use them."

She summoned her power, expecting to feel the familiar tingle in her veins like she always did before her powers revealed themselves but it never came. Her body did not respond to what her mind commanded.

"You see I have been doing my homework on you. I know that your starbolts were artificially given to you and that they work with your emotions. At the moment, you are weak, both mentally and physically. All your energy is centered on repairing your body…look at your knee."

Her eyes lowered to see her knee stopped bleeding and slowly turn purple, becoming a bruise before her eyes. Soon, it would be healed completely. That was how her body worked naturally.

"While your body is in need of assistance, your bolts won't be able to work. These shocks target your nervous system, causing your body to work extra hard to fix the problems."

She looked at him through dark eyelashes, glaring with all her might.

"You sicko," she breathed, "The Titans will stop you."

"Oh, it is not me they will have to stop this time," he said silkily and Starfire could imagine the maniacal grin he had underneath his mask.

He pressed the button once again and her body was lit in pain. Tears fell from her eyes as she groaned loudly and she felt gloved hands reach around her waist. She kicked wildly as he grabbed her and injected her with something, instantly making her feel tired and sleepy. But she would be damned if she didn't go down without a fight. She grabbed his arm and yanked him down along with her, tumbling against the ground. She climbed on top of him, her vision non-existent by the pain but she felt her fists connect with metal.

She punched with pain, with anger, with utter hatred. She felt the blood dripping down from her knuckles and the shooting torture that spread throughout her body. Without warning, a fist shot out and slammed her against her jaw, enveloping the world with light. She felt numbed with pain and anger as she closed her eyes and thankfully lost herself into another world.

* * *

The Titans prepared themselves for war. 

It was one thing to take their leader or even _to get_ kidnapped but to abduct Starfire was another deal. None of the spoke as they arrived home; they merely went to their positions on the computer to track down Starfire through her communicator. They tracked her down to one certain spot which the Titans knew Slade had realized her communicator could be used as a tracking device and had discarded it. It was to no avail, though for the Titans would follow her trail there and wouldn't stop until they found her. While the Titans tracked her down, Robin went to his own room in a violent frenzy, punching holes in the walls and throwing his possession into the air, cursing wildly and throwing his mask on the floor with as much force as he would throwing a punch.

His blue eyes looked around his darkened bedroom and stormed over to the curtain, opening them aggressively and letting the moonlight enter without any barriers. The pole which held up the curtains made a low moan and fell on the floor, the navy blue cloth pooling around his feet. He looked upon them, breathing hard through his nose before lifting his eyes to the sky.

He cursed his stupidity while the uncomfortable knot in his throat suffocated him and left him trembling in the basking light. His forehead collided with the window pane, the cool glass calming his migraine. There was no need to say what he felt and thought. The self disgust that flowed through his veins were enough to drive him wild and her face, her lovely pale face as she fell haunted his every moment. _Why couldn't he have figured it out?_ Blue eyes closed slowly then clenched themselves shut in order to drive out the memories. He couldn't bear losing one more…he'd go insane.

He pushed himself back from the glass, going to his closet and throwing his uniforms to the side, looking for the hidden box beneath his clothes. He slid it out, opening it haphazardly and pausing to look at the contents inside. Hidden in the box remained all the best weapons he had, courtesy of the one and only Batman himself. He never used them himself, mainly because most of the villains in Jump City were not as dangerous as the ones in Gotham. But today, all of that would end. He would put a stop to Slade's tyrant terrorization of both the city and the Titans.

Filling his belt with as many weapons as he could, he tied it once more around his waist, his blue eyes full of determination and loath. He fished around for another mask but before he put in on, he looked at it for a second. He no longer felt like Richard, even with his mask off. It was Starfire who had made him feel like Richard. But he didn't even feel like Robin anymore. He was on the verge of becoming a hybrid of two different beings; he could feel himself shedding the old skin and the brand new being that he was on the edge of becoming was being born.

He put on his mask, placing it right on his eyes and hiding himself from the world. This was war.

_For no one messes with his girl._

* * *

Starfire could feel herself moving, the vehicle transporting her was moving irregularly and too quickly. Her body couldn't move and her brain was too foggy to process things well. She blacked out again and awoke in intervals, each time feeling more lost than before. Her dreams were filled with memories and torments of her past life, a life without the Titans. The smell of the Gordanians lingered in her nose, slowly turning into the stench of burnt skin that once came from her sister's body. She remembered the hatred in Komand'er's eyes as she looked at her and the need for revenge that fueled her until her very last breath. She could see Robin clearly in his prison, a uniform he was forced to don on by evil reincarnate himself. She saw the defeat his eyes as he pointed the blaster on her being and she knew it couldn't possibly be his own will that drove him to be what he became. 

When her eyes opened for the last time, she was sure she was still dreaming. She was in a different place, a well lit, white room that looked very much like a laboratory. She was lying on a hard table, her limbs bound by steel clasps and the collar beeping incessantly around her neck. The lights above her shone brightly, blinding her momentarily and making her eyes water. She tried to move but when she couldn't, her mind began to panic. She called upon her strength but she felt no difference. The bonds were still there and now the only thing she felt was the piercing coldness of ripped skin.

"There's no use in trying to escape," his voice said softly, wiping away the blood from her wrists and from around the bonds, "Now you must only endure."

She felt the prick of a needle against her skin and felt the rejection of the unfamiliar object against her veins. Her body was pushing it away, a sign that her powers were returning. He saw it too and proceeded to remedy it. The collar became hot enough to burn her skin and a wave of electricity passed through her, making her feel like jelly. Her body lost all sensations and she felt like she was floating for a moment. The needle succeeded in pushing through her skin this time and the fluid entered her blood stream. The screen on her right hand side flickered on, catching her attention and making her turn her head slowly to see it. It showed her blood stream, much like it had done once when Slade threatened them with the nanoprobes but this time, it merely showed her blood cells swimmingly lazily in her body.

Her mind blurred as she turned her head back, fixing her eyes on the lights above her. It reminded her of the time she experienced her first contact with a camera.

_She had just landed on Earth, unable to speak the language and angry, extremely angry. The crater she had created on the hard surface did very little to stop her from ravaging about, screaming angrily in her native language. The terrans looked at her bewilderedly, most of them frightened and all of them curious. An alien had just dropped out of the sky and to confirm everyone's belief, she did not have green tentacles and two small antennae growing out of her skull. To have confirmation, a certain man in font of the scene decided to take a photo of her, to show everyone his conviction; aliens could be damn hot chicks as well._

_The camera flashed in front of her eyes, blinding her terribly. It reminded her of the shocks she had received at the Gordanians hands and she had felt her blood boil. The anger rose within her and she smashed everything in her view, with as much fury as she could muster. That had changed everything. That was the day she had met Robin._

"Interesting," Slade murmured, his voice far, far away from where she was. Starfire blinked and heard Beast Boy's voice from somewhere in her mind.

_"It isn't that interesting, Star," he had said about the blue furry food they had in the fridge. Starfire had been prodding them with a breadstick for the last couple of minutes, infuriating them and allowing them to growl menacingly at them. _

_"You're going to make them angry."_

_"Beast boy, are they monsters?"_

_Beast Boy turned to look at the furry things and shrugged his shoulders._

_"I guess so…"_

_"If they are, why are we not in combat with them?"_

_"Well---" he scratched his head, jerking it to one side as if his right side of the brain could think better than his left, "I guess there's all kinds of monsters."_

_"Huh, I thought there was only one type of monster."_

_Beast Boy grinned at her, his tooth protruding from his lips._

_"Me too."_

"Your body holds tremendous power, my dear. Too bad it's wasted on pettiness such as," he scoffed, "saving the world."

_She failed to understand how one single planet, rather small in comparison to all the other words she had encountered, could hold myriads of religions, customs, languages…it was amazing. It was worth fighting for; she knew that from the moment she discovered what Earth held. It wasn't just the people or the beauty of its nature but the possibilities it held. When she joined the Titans, she took the vow the rest of the Titans bore but perhaps she held it closer to her heart than any of the others. This may not be her planet but this was her home and the Titans were her family and she'd be damned if she didn't risk her own life for them. Robin had been right. She had the 'superhero syndrome.' But then again, that was like the pot calling the kettle black…though Kori never quite knew what that meant._

She felt the cold pricking and prodding of metals against her skin. She struggled slightly against it, knowing very well it was a lost battle. He had her drugged beyond coherent thinking but instead of letting her feel the pain, her mind concentrated in memories, both the good and the bad.

_His ray pointed at her without hesitation, his stare steely and determined. His stance was strong, never wavering from his position or from his orders. But it was his eyes that made her lower her arm. His eyes held hers for a long time, it seemed though in reality only a few seconds had passed. He had never looked at her that way, with his eyes narrowed but without emotions for her to read. He seemed empty inside and there was finality to the way he looked at her, like this was the way it was supposed to be. It made Starfire's eyes widen and lower her hand. Her words were true but she felt like everything she said but right through him, like a steel knife. Her heart had never felt so heavy before…_

_"Lift it, please," he said from underneath the car. Starfire complied, lifting the heavy copper and blue car and letting Cyborg slide out. He was covered in black oil and smelling like the inside of a carburetor. He smiled at Starfire, clapping his hands together while looking proudly at his car. _

_"Ya ready?" he asked excitedly, looking very much like an overgrown kid on Christmas morning. Starfire grinned back and nodded just as happily as he did. With a switch in his arm, he turned on the newly installed device on the T-car. The car's stereo blasted with music, a song she knew Cyborg to love. While the upbeat tempo music blasted in her ears, the car began to move by itself, bouncing up and down with the beat. Starfire squealed happily, clapping her hands and jumping up and down with the car while Cyborg let out a below of 'Boo-ya!' and punched the air triumphantly. They looked at the car with a sense of pride that came from improving what seemed to be un-improvable before their communicator went off. Beast Boy's face came on, his eyes shining with excitement._

_"DUDES! It's movie night!"_

_"Yeah and he went and chose the Lone Ranger…again."_

_"Oh, Raven, you know you love the movie!"_

_"As much as I love waffles…"_

_Cyborg nodded and patted his shoulder, looking at Starfire with a kind smile. She gave a squeal again and flew to him, sitting on his massive shoulder and letting him take her all the way up to the Common Room. He kept a stream of chatter along the way, telling her of everything he had done to day because she was that kind of person. She didn't care if your day had been full of the most trivial things; she would listen intently anyway._

_The image blurred, snapping out of focus as a wave of nausea hit her._

She felt the hours pass and her body stiffened. All day he had kept her sedated, her mind going back and forth on all her memories, the good the bad, and the repressed. Every time she kicked and screamed, Slade was by her side, injecting her body with liquids of every kind. After that, she was thrown back into her cell, like a rabid dog. She had a small white hospital gown to cover her and the food she received tasted like expired tofu. She lost track of time, space, and even of who she was. She would awaken at awkward times, in the middle of his experiments or in her cell.

Her cell was small and tight, a place where _she should_ have felt at home. With so many years in the Gordanians' prisons, this place was paradise. But the fact was that she couldn't believe she was back in such a place again was more than she could handle. Once more, she was nothing more than a subject to experiment on, a lab rat for psychos who had selfish needs. She would wake up in fear to find her skull opened up again, to feel the stitches which would confirm her fears. Like an animal, she would kick and scream, stomping around her cell in despair. Her knuckles and arms became big bruises after she slammed them against the hard granite walls for hours, getting claustrophobic of the small room and panicking brutally.

But after all this time, the Titans had yet to come and Starfire began to lose hope. Her days were laced with undignified aches and the dulling pain was about to reach her breaking point.

"Zintha rutha'maka ke zentka ror."

Her lips muttered these words without thinking about them but more like a reflex. It would help her survive.

* * *

The Titans left the brightly illuminated tower the same day Starfire was captured. From then on, the Titans would search for days and nights for any sign of the alien girl who seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Her communicator had given them some clue to where she had been but Slade, being the bastard that he was, left nothing of the old warehouse miles below the outskirts of the city save for some broken metals and bars. Raven's powers were pretty useless as well. Not only did Starfire have her mental shields up almost all the time, whenever Raven got close to finding her, she would get dizzy and faint. Her answers for this strange occurrence were that Slade was keeping Star drugged or knocked out. Raven could only enter a mind that was awake, especially if she was far away from Raven. From then on, Robin had to go on hunches and vague guesses on her whereabouts. He barely ate, barely slept and kept to himself most of the time. 

Cyborg had commented on this rather crudely, tired of their fearless leader starving himself, stating that they couldn't bring her back if all they had of their leader was a skeleton. Robin hadn't found it very funny to say the least. Beast Boy seemed to understand more than Cyborg to his surprise. Instead of joking around, he went up to Robin and gave him a pat on the back, telling him that Starfire was a strong girl and if anyone could stand up against Slade, it was her. Robin hadn't said anything to him neither but he did grace Beast Boy with a curt nod. Raven, on the other hand, had done what she knew what to do best. She told him the bare truth.

"You're an idiot."

Robin barely glanced at her from his computer screen. He did raise an eyebrow to indicate he was still alive. Titans' Tower was oddly quiet for a Saturday night but ever since Starfire had been captured, nights were always strange at home.

"When was the last time you _saw_ a good meal?"

Robin shrugged slightly, his eyes going back and forth, the light coming from the screen illuminating the bags under his masked eyes.

"Robin, start setting an example for the team. Beast boy doesn't want to eat either and that's when you know things are bad around here."

When he said nothing once again, Raven sighed and tried to calm herself before trying again.

"We all wanna get Starfire back as soon as possible but I'm not asking for much. Just eat a decent meal---"

"Who's going to make this _decent meal_ you keep talking about?" Robin finally asked, anger evident in his voice as he looked up at her with frustration. His hand waved back to the Tower's kitchen as Raven lowered her eyes.

"Starfire used to cook the decent meals," he continued, aggravated, "and unless you haven't noticed, she's not here!"

His point made, he went back to the computer screen and started typing away. Raven stood in front of him for a moment before picking up her cloak and walking away, the soft sounds of shoes fading away as she made her way down the hall, leaving Robin to punch the side of the wall with his fist.

Before the Titans knew it, days passed, weeks, and then an entire month passed without any sign of their lost friend. By then, the Titans had become a wreck, not because they couldn't fight off the few villains that came their way but because of the furiosity with which they fought. Most villains ended up at the hospital under critical condition after an encounter with the Teen Titans. Worse yet, the news had reached Gotham city and for Robin, that meant that Batman had been informed of his uncontrollable temper. He was expecting a call from the Batcave any minute now and just to piss the Bat off, Robin wouldn't answer when it came.

On a day like any other, when Robin was still shut in his room and Beast Boy and Cyborg were spewed across the coach, uninterestedly playing a game on their game station, the alarm went off, warning them of another bad guy. Raven peered from her newspaper, her gaze bored and saddened. There was yet another villain to take care of in the glorious cit of Jump.

"Titans, go."

His voice couldn't have been less enthusiastic.

* * *

"Ahh, you're awake. Perfect." 

Grimacing, Starfire blearily opened her eyes, blinking repeatedly to focus them on Slade. Tired as she was, she couldn't help but notice the excited tone his voice held, something far scarier than anything else she had heard from him so far. She remained strapped on to a vertical slab of metal, her hands and feet restrained while the collar around her neck became warm as it beeped consistently. She tried to keep her eyes focused but every time she looked around, her eyes would momentarily close, feeling heavy with sleep. Still, she tried her best to look around at what Slade was so happy about. Other than a couple of machines around the otherwise bare room, there was a figure draped in a white sheet a few inches away from Slade. The harsh lights were, for once, turned away from her and instead, they were focused on the creature hidden by the sheets. Starfire noticed, by the lights hitting them, that the sheets were the colors of her old curtains which were currently stashed somewhere home. The memory tore her heart apart, making her lower her eyes so Slade couldn't see the weakness in the sea that was in danger of breaking loose.

"This, my dear, is what we've been working so hard on," he said with a proud sense, like a father showing off his daughter to the neighborhood, "This is what will be the destruction of all the Earth's weaklings."

Starfire raised her head, looking at him through hooded eyes. Her eyes traveled to the hidden object, trying to figure out what it was. For the Titans' sake, she hoped it was nothing too horrible but she knew she was kidding herself. Knowing Slade, it would be something truly atrocious.

His hands traveled through the sheets, touching the outline before enclosing his hands around the sheets and removing it away, revealing…

A woman.

A young, truly beautiful well shaped woman.

Starfire recoiled, unwilling to think of why Slade had created this person with his own hands. The woman had lustrous white hair, reflecting off the light that surrounded her like a halo. Her pale skin was silky smooth, as if one touch would be like touching an angel itself. She was wearing a form of uniform with the Slade insignia on the right side of her chest, indicating just what side she was in and making her gulp with worry.

"Her name is Ravager," said Slade with a proud look at the woman then returning his eyes to Starfire who chose not to look at the woman.

"She was created by my hands to have our DNA within her," he informed her, his voice reaching her ears even though she tried her best to shut him out of her head, "Her very skin is steel enforced with adamantium, resilient like your own and your DNA makes her tremendously strong. I have matured her body her body to the peak of her life."

His eyes passed over her body, scantily clad in what one could barely call clothes. Her black upper body suit extended to her arms, covering all fingers except the middle three. The rest of the suit covered most of her breasts but in the middle, her cleavage was exposed by a small triangle. The back and front were clasped together in a V shape disappearing into her pants, her sides exposed and gleaming in the light. She wore a belt similar to Slade's, its pockets filled up with gadgets and who knows what else. Her black pants seemed like a second skin, terminating in simple army boots with two black handles sticking out; two powerful blades lay hidden.

"_She_ is the reason Jump City is without lights," murmured Slade proudly, "_She_ is why you are here and though she may be ready for battle, she is still incomplete."

She seemed asleep though Starfire couldn't tell. A sheet of translucent hair was covering her right eye and Starfire couldn't see the other one. Slade slowly walked to her, touching her shoulder gently and allowing the machine to come to life. Her body became rigid at once and her eyes popped open, revealing a pair of stunningly beautiful blue eyes. But unlike Robin's, Ravager's eyes held nothing; no emotion, no memories, and no life. They sparkled with the brilliance of the light but otherwise, her eyes utterly empty.

Slade whispered something to her and Starfire watched through fearful eyes as the machine stood up and started to walk. Her joints were stiff, creaking and making it hard to move but she seemed to manage enough to tenderize them quickly. Her hair wafted back and forth, mesmerizing Starfire completely. She looked so…real. Her skin was moist with life even though she had metal underneath it. Her lips shone blood red and even her long eyelashes were captivating.

With her orders given to her, Ravager flew into the air and with amazing agility, she did a couple of flips before landing on the floor, creating a small crater in it. Dust shook up into the air, causing Starfire to cough violently. Through the haze, Star stood amazed at the woman's ability to handle her blades, something Starfire knew she couldn't do.

"Remember," Slade said suddenly, his eyes catching hers, "She's a product of _us. _Without human DNA, she couldn't be here."

Starfire grimaced at the thought. They had created someone; yes, she might be metal and definitely not human but…she was still…theirs…

She visibly shuddered, unable to watch any more.

"What do you need me for?" she asked suddenly, amazed that her voice sounded so strong when she felt he exact opposite.

"Well, she may be powerful now but the real reason you are here is for one thing," he came closer to her, allowing his young creation to test her abilities out behind him, "Those wonderful bolts that you have are not truly yours, are they? You were bestowed with those powers. By who, I don't know but what I do intend to do is find out how they work."

Starfire's eyes widened out of pure terror. In the back of her head, she could relive all her worst fears but to repeat them again…

"My body is far too complicated for you," she said, her teeth chattering but not because it was cold, "You couldn't possibly figure it out."

"Dear child, I have brought life into an inanimate object. Do not doubt my abilities."

He walked away from her, leaving her shivering with fear and apprehension.

"It's time to introduce the Titans to Ravager," he announced, his hand resting on the robot's back, "And its time to discover just what makes your powers so unique," he added with a nod back at Star. Ravager received her instructions and without a moment to lose, she leapt into the air, her hair whipping back much like Starfire's did. Like a predator, Slade ambled closer to her, holding an injection in his right hand. Starfire struggled with all her might, feeling the skin rip against the harsh bonds against her but she didn't care. She shut her eyes tight as the injection entered her skin, instantly making her dizzy and frightened.

She would be violated once again, she thought sadly, her body would once again become a beacon for knowledge at the hands of yet another madman.

And she was powerless to stop it.

* * *

The Titans skidded to a stop in the middle of the deserted city. It was night and the curfew set upon the Mayor of Jump had been set in motion already. The streets were empty of life, bare and naked against the warm winds. All citizens were back home, safe and sound; all except the four young teenagers who bore livid looks on their faces as they countered this new foe. In front of them stood a young female and though any other time, the Titans might have tried to talk things out with her, this was not one of them. She bore the symbol that marked her malevolence; the large S on the right side of her chest. 

Robin didn't even bother with sarcastic remarks or even bother asking who she was. Instead, he pointed his bo-staff at her and prepared himself for battle.

The Ravager was about to let loose.

* * *

Catch ya on the flip side.


	26. Chapter 26

Freakin' wouldn't let me upload for the last FIVE DAYS! Man, I was DYING. Dudes, it was a breakdown I was having.

Whoo, now that that's over...Here it is, the next part. It was supposed to be two chapters but since wouldn't let me upload :(

I have recently acquired a dog so my updates won't be as frequent since I have the wonderful job of poop picker upper and stepping into pee puddles on the way to the bathroom.

Toodles,

ChalakChalak

Ps- In Paradisium WILL be continued, I just wanna finish this story first.

* * *

**I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.**

_---John Locke_

The Ravager.

A creature artificially created with powerful alien DNA and put together by a psychotic, lonely man bent over to take over the world; an ingenious but overused plot in a world where almost all the big bad villains wanted the same thing (or at least, that's how most of the Titans' viewed it). And still, the robot stood proud within the dark haze of the dim moonlight, her hands balled into fists and her hair sparkling glossily behind her. The streets were deserted from any beings, the city was deathly quiet, as if all the people had deserted the once tumultuous every day life. The only sounds were the ones of cats meowing from far away and the ghostly sounds of the wind.

Within her mind, she had but one purpose in her life. Her father, as she saw him, had given her the task of introducing herself to the heroes of Jump City. Wickedness was in her blood, from the moment she had been created to this very minute when her mind was only on making her father proud. Her earliest memories were obscure; the sound of hissing and the smell of machines were her first clues to her past. The first time her eyes opened, it had been her father's face she had seen. It had been her father's deep rumbling voice that she remembered first and foremost. Her mission was her sole purpose in life.

For she was incomplete.

She didn't consider the strange woman who laid within a dark cell her mother. She was merely the catalyst for Ravager's birth. It was because of her and her stupid, self centered friends that she was not yet whole. She trusted her father's word and only her father's word. He had confessed to her that he never planned to take over the world. Such plans were ridiculous…they had never really entered his mind for the simple reason that he didn't see himself as a villain or the bad guy in the Titans' life. Yes, the Titans were his enemy but only because they stood in his way when his plans were about to take effect. He never truly went after world domination or for the great demise of the Titans. He had sought out apprentices and tried to get his flesh and blood back from the dead but he would never waste his time looking for a way to annihilate the Titans.

This time, he wanted nothing more than revenge and the only way he would get revenge is if the Titans didn't stand in his way. Slade was always as grave and ruthless as he was now. Once, he had a family. Once, he had been happy. But those days were long over and the only thing he had in mind was revenge. This was his plan…and he was sure that when the Titans found out about the killing spree he was about to go on, they would try to stop him. They couldn't possibly understand what it felt to lose family, happiness, dignity…

It was revenge.

And she would clear the way for her father's wishes.

The Titans stood in front of the new villain, ready to let their frustrations be released on yet another unsuspecting bad guy, or in this case, girl. The fact that she was wearing a big, dark orange symbol that connected her to Slade did not help her chances of winning the fight with the Titans. Her blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the four teens, a sick smile twisting its way to her face. She wore no mask, nothing to hide her true identity but they could see Slade in her. The sick smile, the stoic eyes that held nothing, and the posture were all his.

"Titans," Robin called out, his bo-staffs ready in each hand, "Let's give her a warm welcome to Jump."

He needn't say any more. Cyborg's sonic cannon transformed from his arm and taking aim, he let the power fly straight for the target, letting loose a couple of missiles from his shoulders as well. At the same time, Raven took into the air, her scratchy voice chanting her magic words and her dark powers slithered out of her, enveloping a tow truck from somewhere on her right and slamming it on top of the woman who was now concealed in smoke and rubble. Beast boy gave a shout and turned into a small bat, flying over the scene before turning into a mastodon and landing on top of the target.

The hazy outline of the sitting mastodon could be seen but nothing else. His job done, Beast Boy turned back into his human form, jumping off the pile of rubble and chuckling, clapping his hands clean.

"We are _so_ back!" he celebrated, walking back to the team. While he and Cyborg high-fived, Raven landed next to Robin softly, her eyes never leaving the pile of rubble. As she and Robin guessed, the woman wasn't to be so easily defeated. From somewhere in the burning debris, her obscure shape slowly emerged, walking calmly toward them.

"Titans," he warned behind him, cutting the celebration short. The two Titans looked at the sight, disappointed that it wasn't over so easily. Their bodies had healed quickly, thanks to their own unique powers. Cyborg had been rebuilt with new, state of the art technologies added to his body, something that made Cyborg joke around, saying he should get destroyed more often. Beast Boy's enhanced animal abilities helped him heal faster as well. Though Raven had been frightened to death, he had helped her understand that very little could hurt him, not because he was invincible but because he had someone to fight for now.

That said, it did not mean the two Titans were in their best conditions. They were both part human as well and that part had yet to be healed. A harsh battle with one of Slade's minion could spell disaster for them. That's why they didn't say anything when Robin and Raven stood in front of them, protecting the two from anything the woman would unleash.

She walked with a smile on her face, triumphant and teasing. Her milky white skin contained no signs of wound or that a tow truck had been slammed against her. Her hair was untangled and smooth, like pure water from a stream.

"What are you?" Cyborg muttered, not really expecting an answer. Certainly, he did not expect the voice who answered him.

"I am a Titan," she said ominously, her voice uncannily like Starfire's soft timbres, "I am Slade."

With a slight push of her legs, she flew into the air, leaving a white plasma trail behind her as her fists broke into the ranks of the Titans, coming down with an unmatched force. The Titans jumped back, the small but powerful fist barely missing them but the force of her fists connecting with the cement send them flying backwards, slamming against mailboxes, telephone booths, and glass windows. She straightened up, her eyes narrowing with malice as she looked at the scene.

As the Titans dislocated themselves from the imprint of whatever they had landed on, they looked around for the culprit who had, by now, disappeared. Already they were bleeding and bruised but looking for another round. Raven, who had been pushed against the glass window of an office building, was caught in the Ravager's fury first. Disoriented, she took a minute to get her bearings straight; the blast had pummeled her body first into the glass, breaking it and letting her land head first into the sea of shards. Her face was cut as was most of her uniform and cape. The blood that spattered on the floor was beet red, fresh and moist. Ravager, feeling at home in the shadows, hid well and waited patiently until she saw her chance to attack. She was pure metal which meant she had no real human signature, something that worked in her favor when it came to the telepathic Titan.

Quietly as a lioness hunting in the wild, Ravager crept up behind Raven as she tried to get up, grabbing the young woman's hair and throwing her into the street. With the same momentum, she took hold of the fist of her hair and slammed her against the pavement. Raven's nose broke on impact, spewing liberal amounts of blood along with a cry of pure pain. Straddling her body, Ravager took a blade out of her boot and made an incision on the Raven's neck. When the mark was branded, Ravager got up to look around. By then, the Titans had regrouped and stood in front of her, staring at Raven who crouched on the floor, holding her face and groaning painfully, Though the Titans were enraged with what had been done to Raven, it was Raven who became even more incensed. Her violet eyes snapped open, in rage and fury while her short, black hair swept up wildly around her face which was bloodied and bruised. Dark entrails snaked from inside her, pushing her into a standing position and twisting around her being. With a ferocious growl, the dark tentacles arched around Ravager, holding her in its cold grasps and send her hurtling along cars, building, and finally, letting her smash against the pavement. There, Raven's dark powers formed fists and blindly punched against the smoke, unknowingly hitting random targets but letting her rage fly.

The crashes sent a tremble across the street, sending up chips of cement into the air. Spent, Raven returned back to normal, letting Beast Boy take her into his arms to check her face. Her eyes were turning into bruises and while her nose had stopped bleeding, it was only because the blood had coagulated around her nostrils. She uncouthly spat out blood from her mouth, sticking her tongue out in distaste.

"That bitch," she muttered darkly, earning a nervous laugh from Beast Boy who rarely heard her curse.

"I don't think she's down for the count, yet," said Cyborg hesitantly, his red eye glowing against the night, checking for life or at least, Cyber-life.

"I'm getting a tense reading of adamantium…no wonder none of our attacks work on her."

"Why does she sound like Starfire?" asked Beast Boy, casting an edgy glance toward the moving pile of rubble, a sure fire sign that she was getting ready to go at it again.

"'Cause she _is _Starfire," said Cyborg in awe, his eyes still on the screen in his arm, confirming the signature on the robot, "Her genetic signature is the same as Star's..."

"Holy mistaken identity, Batman," uttered Beast Boy with raised eyebrows, earning a human reaction from Robin.

"Guys, there's something else," continued Cyborg, his eyes leaving his sensors and looking straight at the woman who had just stood up above the rocks. She unleashed the sword from her back, drawing it out slowly as if teasing them. The sword gleamed in the moonlight, looking as dangerous as the woman who held it.

The Titans didn't get the chance to hear what the 'something else' was for the Ravager jumped in front of them, making a large crack on the pavement. She aimed for the cybernetic man, handling her sword as if it was an extension of her body. Her blows were on target, striking her objective with precision. Cyborg mainly relied on his metal body to deflect the blows but even his cybernetics could only handle so much. The glass coverings on his body began to give way, making him groan in pain. His sonic canon did very little against Ravager's body; it only made her falter for a couple of seconds before attacking with greater force. Beast Boy took a chance and turned into a T-rex, his jaws sinking into Ravager as she stumbled back after being hit by Cyborg's cannon. Beast Boy shook her like a rag doll, trying to sink his teeth into her but to no avail. He was soon howling in pain as his teeth broke, dropping her back on the ground as he turned back into human form, his eyes watering with pain.

Ravager simply shook herself off and took a stance against the Boy Wonder, who stood ready for her with two bird-e-rangs unleashed. The haze broke, giving way to the scene about to unfold. Robin's eyes narrowed, full of pent up rage and anger. The two rounded on each other, never breaking away the connection between them. Ravager's eyes, though a lifeless blue, shone brightly in the night air, very much like Starfire's usually did. And yet, her stance was too grotesque, too much like Slade's. Robin could see the winking of the S insignia, teasing him from the distance.

Enraged, he threw the first move. His strike went straight for her face but she easily countered it with her left arm, leaving her ribcage area exposed. When his bird-a-rang hit her arm, his leg swung upward, hitting her where her ribcage should be. Instead, the painful throb of metal against bone reached his lower leg and rattled him. He swung his body back, a small grimace covering his features. Ravager sprinted up to him, the sword steady in her hand. Her hair whipped back, exposing her concentrated face as her body flew into the air. She struck her sword down with force, forcing Robin's bird-a-rang to break against the vigor of the strike and forcing Robin's own body to give way, his knees hitting the ground with enough strength to break. He bit back a cry of pain but recovered quickly, rolling to his right as her leg came down upon him. He jumped up to his feet, grimacing as the weight of his body fell on his bleeding knees. Taking out his bo-staff, he countered as many blows as he could but the woman was quick and agile, inhumanely so. His uniform was soon in shreds, barely hanging on to his lithe body which began to show sign of weariness.

Somehow, in a flurry of attacks, Ravager managed to get the sword close enough to his body to slit off a small part of his side. She dropped the blade to the side and jumped on top of him, bringing him down by his neck. She had enough force to break his neck but for some reason, she didn't.

Yet.

Breathing was not an option for him anymore but even with the lack of oxygen, his fingers reached into his belt as his mind formed way to get out of this mess. He looked up to her triumphant face and punched her face hard. His knuckles cracked, the sound resonating throughout the city but his goal was accomplished. The punch did nothing but move her head slightly to the side but it was enough for Robin to place a small device somewhere on the opposite side of her face. Cyborg took careful aim and blasted the robot with his canon, effectively making her stagger off of Robin. A beep signaled the Titans to run as far as they could. The explosion that came leveled the next three blocks, sending the Titans flying through the air.

Panting, they blinked the lights out of their eyes and looked at each other. They were all hurt but they were glad to be away from her. Knowing that adamantium was not a metal they could destroy, they needed to buy time until they could figure something out. Cyborg looked bad but having been ripped apart by the car crash, he was just happy he was still functioning. Beast boy was bleeding for his mouth; the gums in his teeth had broken and his teeth, though still intact, had taken quite a beating. Raven could barely see now that her face had swollen to massive proportions and Robin's knuckles had rivers of blood running down his fingers.

"We can't go home," said Cyborg with a glance at Titans' Tower, barely visible against the humid haze.

"We have no choice," said Raven through her pain, "at least in the Tower we can buy a couple of minutes before she attacks again."

"Raven's right. The Tower's security system can give us enough time to go to the emergency hideout."

Robin started running back toward his bike, hoping the mega powered explosion would give them enough time to escape. He ignored the strange looks from the Titans. Robin had said this more to himself than to the Titans for the Titans didn't know about this particular emergency post. Like Batman, Robin was a master at paranoia and just in case (as he had done once before) the Titans, for some reason or other, turned against him, he would have a place to get his bearing straight. After all, a large T shaped Tower in the middle of the island was not the safest place to go if your being targeted.

The T-car was packed with the three Titans while Robin mounted on his motorcycle, leading the way back to the tunnel that took them from the mainland back to Titan Island. They could hear the rumbling behind them and knew exactly who it was. The car and motorcycle reached dangerous speed but thankfully, since there was no traffic, they could easily maneuver through the deserted streets of Jump. Thunder seemed to be following them, making huge indentations in the streets of the city but the Titans didn't look back. They kept their eyes on their target, barely making it into the tunnel just before Ravager crashed into the closing metal door. The lights were bright and signaling the way back to the tower. It reminded Robin of the tunnel leading to the Batcave, a place where he had felt the safest once upon a time.

When they arrived at their underground garage, Cyborg jumped out of his car and went straight for the security system of the tower. With a push of the buttons and his cybernetic signature, the Tower's security system was at his will. Robin came to him and talked to him in hushed tones as Beast Boy began to clean up Raven's face. Cyborg looked at Robin with a shocked expression in his face, as if he couldn't believe what he had just told him. A couple of seconds later, Cyborg's face stood stone hard, determined but also, saddened by whatever had been exchanged between them. Beast Boy and Raven didn't notice; they were too wrapped up in each other. Beast Boy took a clean towel from the small sink in the garage and dampened it with warm water. He cleaned away the caked blood from her face gently, his handsome bottle green face lit with concern.

"I'm ok, really," she said with a hint of nervousness. It wasn't always that she had her boyfriend take care of her, especially after her face had been almost been broken. Her nose had swelled up but she fixed it as much as she could with her own healing powers. Though they didn't work as well as they did with others, the healing powers did help with the pain. Beast Boy's lips appeared swollen but it was only because his gums were engorged from the assault. Raven healed him as best as she could as well, glad to have an excuse to be near him. Not that she needed one with him.

She was sitting on top of one of the tables the garage had with Beast boy right in front of her. Her hands gently hovered above his lips, emitting a white light that accentuated their close faces into shades and soft glows.

"Thanks, Rae" he muttered hazily, her scent of lavender incense wafting to his nose.

"You're welcome Gar," she whispered back, her eyes narrowing suddenly but they had a playful look to them, "…and don't call me Rae."

"We need to get moving," said Robin in his leader voice, breaking the small moment the two teenagers were having. Beast Boy looked away from her face, down to the ground with a smile. Raven glanced at Robin's hands and body, a small frown on her face. His uniform was extremely damaged, showing more skin than Raven had ever seen from the Boy Wonder. She noticed he was as pale as she was even though the large amount of dirt and blood barely let her see a piece of clean skin on him. His side had been slashed, the cut looking big and nasty against him.

"I can heal---"

"That'll have to wait."

After a pause, Raven nodded and jumped from her sitting position, following Robin who began leading them out of the garage with his R-cycle by his side. Cyborg followed a few minutes after, his steps heavy as his eyes cast a look at his T-car. They went down to the lowest part of the basement, a place they rarely went to, mainly because it was so spooky. This was the place where Starfire had been 'abducted' by the rats when Raven let her fear escape.

"She's in the Tower, guys," informed Cyborg, his red eye glowing against the dark.

"Good," muttered Robin, stopping in front of a decrepit looking door. He punched in his code on a dusty security pad before turning back to the Titans.

"Say your good byes to the Tower, guys."

None of the Titans said anything against it but they did let out a deep sigh.

"The blast won't finish her off but it'll give us enough time to escape."

The Titans looked back at the dark basement, the last memory they would have of their home. They weren't sad to lose their dwelling, not when they had all the incredible memories in their minds. But somehow, with the destruction of Titans' Tower, they felt as if the inevitable had happened. It felt as if a chapter of their life was closing, never to be truly reopened. Silently, they said their good byes and departed from the one place they could each say felt truly like home, a place where they would always belong.

They went through the door and down the passage, each step feeling like an eternity. After a moment of so, they heard a muffled boom and felt the hot air reach them even from their distance.

Titans' Tower was no more.

* * *

Ravager's outline became clearer and clearer as she walked away from the blazing fire. Her clothes had been incinerated but her body was as clean and as beautiful as always. Her eyes burned with the same intensity as the fire burned behind her and the smile on her face was nothing less than sinister. With grace unmatched, she took into the warm summer air. 

"The message has been received," she said into her communicator, her voice as soft as a dove's feathers, the voice of Starfire lined with malevolence.

"That's my girl."

* * *

_"Richard Grayson!"_

_"He was looking at you!"_

_A sheepish grin spread across her face._

_"A lot of boys look at me."_

_"Ha ha ha. That's really helping."_

_"Are you…jealous?"_

_A loud scoff emerged from his lips, taking her hand in his and kissing it._

_"Me? Jealous of him? Nah…"_

_But he gave her a guilty smile._

_There was a large skating ring within the building which was popular all year round, most especially during the summer. There was a multitude of people around them, laughing and joking around, squealing as they fell on their butts against the cold, hard ice. She wore a tight fitting blue sweater that brought out the diamonds in her eyes and faded jeans with her hair tied in a messy bun with a couple of loose auburn strands escaping their bonds. The smile on her face was always present, of course. Robin chose to wear a white jacket with blue stripes along his arms, which also made his eyes pop out and look ravishingly handsome. However, his mask was on at the moment but she had taken a peep at him before they left the tower. _

_"Him?" she asked, frowning and then blushing slightly. With his eyes always on her face, he caught her reaction and narrowed his eyes at her._

_"Who else?"_

_She giggled, pressing her fist against her lips. She directed her eyes to the tall, raven haired woman on her left._

_"I thought you meant her…"_

_Robin followed her line of sight and saw the woman, giving a frustrated sigh and throwing his arms in the air._

_"That's great!" he said sarcastically but the moment of distraction cost him. He slipped on the ice and with a yelp, he fell flat on his butt._

_Starfire laughed but her laughter turned_ into a violent cough. She began to gasp for air, the constrictions around her made her panicky and though she knew that she was dreaming, she called out for him nonetheless.

She was back in her cell, sedated and chained to the wall like an animal. Her body was wrapped up in bandages and she smelled like foul, like blood and that specific smell that came from spending too much time in the hospital. Her eyes opened but she surmised that she was still dreaming, perhaps caught in a nightmare but she knew instantly that she was lying to herself. The pain made sure she remembered what had happened a few days…no, weeks…perhaps months ago.

And still, there was no sign of the Titans anywhere.

She stood awake for hours, it seemed. Half in this world and half asleep, her mind wandered around, searching for answers and asking questions, reviving old memories and perhaps even making up some. But her blood froze in her veins when she heard his footsteps coming closer to her.

"The day has arriving," he said to her.

"Day?' she said weakly, her voice having been used a couple of hours ago to scream obscenities in X'hal only knows how many languages.

"Ravager will be complete."

Her eyes remained open, the figure retreated, her eyes watered and closed.

* * *

"Antarctic vibranium," said Robin as he sat down on one of the chairs the emergency post contained. Cyborg had hypothesized they were miles away from Jump, in a place called Bludhaven which was very close to Gotham. Robin led them here to recuperate and find a way to defeat Ravager who had proved to be a challenge. 

"Where the hell are we going to find Antartic vibranium?" asked Cyborg with an asonished look on his face, "The government has all the supply stored God knows where…"

"Maybe but I know someone who has a small supply of it."

H spoke with his head down, not looking at the Titans as he spoke. Raven glanced up at his face for a moment befoe refocusing on her task. She had all but healed his side wound though it would leave a scar. They had changed into new uniforms and ate but they were still extremely sore and worried as all hell.

"Who?"

When he spoke, his voice was deep and very unlike him…more grown up than ever before.

"Batman."

There was an intake of breath that passed through the Titans simuntaniously.

"You sure about this?" asked Beast Boy who had the most knowledge of the Boy Wonder than anyone else.

"For Starfire, yes."

They sighed deeply. This wouldn't be easy for Robin, they knew this but like he had said, it was for Starfire.

Robin dismissed the Titans, telling them to rest up. They would have tough days ahead of them. Cyborg lingered for a moment, internally battling some commotion in his head. With a huff, he turned around and called Robin over. Heavily, he walked to his friend, missing the feel of his cape which he no longer wore since it had been damaged so badly.

"What's up?" he asked the robotic man, rubbing his eyes which were heavy with sleep.

"You remember when I took a reading of Ravager's cybernetics? Yeah, well it wasn't _just_ Star's DNA I found in her."

"Who else's was it?" asked Robin, his interest piqued. Cyborg paused, the internal battle raging still. The hesitation did not help Robin's own anxiousness on the subject.

"It was Slade's, man."

His insides became icy. The possibilities of what possibly could have happened collided in his head, the rage inside of him became powerful enough to blind him momentarily. There were millions of thoughts racing. Most of them were acts---things that he didn't want to think of between Starfire and the lunatic. Others were of abuse toward the woman he swore to protect with his very life and soul. But all of them brought a boiling hatred into his veins. Never before had he felt like this, like would combust with the amount of unfettered abhorrence he felt for the psychotic villain.

"You ok?" asked Cyborg, his voice sounding dismayed, " I mean I know its pretty bad but we're going to get her back, I promise."

Robin gave a distracted but violent nod, dismissing Cyborg with a dull voice. Cyborg hesitated before giving Robin a pat on the back and heading to bed, his own head heavy with thought. Robin remained in his spot for a while, going over in his mind just exactly what it meant for Ravager to be a product of both the woman he loved the most and the man he loathed more than anything else in the world. It was with these thoughts that Robin stood slowly and headed for the chair in front of the computer.

The emergency post was small compared to the Tower back at Jump and it bore no sign that it belonged to Robin or the Teen Titans. The small kitchen was at one corner while the two bedrooms were each equiped with three beds. There was one bathroom in the hallway and of course, the living room.

Here, Robin sat down on his chair and stared at the empty screen. He deliberatly procrastinated, kicking himself for doing so. He had to save Starfire, for cripes sake, she was being put through so many horrible things and all he could think of was not wanting to ask for help from his mentor. Slapping his head with the palm of his hand, he cursed himself inwardly. With a deeo growl, his hand rose and pushed a couple of buttons on the keypad. The screen came to life and started dialing the connection. Batman's batwave was a strictly private frequency with limited access even to Justice League members. But Robin dialed it as if it was something he did every day. His stomach churned as he waited though he had not eaten much that day. His thoughts reverberated back and forth from Starfire to the vibranium, causing one of those quick but powerful migranes that came out of nowhere.

Antartic vibranium was a metal that produced vibrations with specific wavelengths that is able to breaks down the molecular bonds in other metals, liquifying other metals including the otherwise indestructible metal known as Adamantium. All he needed was to get his hands on a slab big enough to be able to produce enough vibration to destroy this damn robot. He knew it would be difficult but he would come through for her. He had to.

The screen flickered for a while before a familiar face came on screen. Robin swallowed as he looked at his mentor, the great Batman. His presence, even through the screen and the distance between them was intimidating but then again, it could have been the cowl he always wore and the fact that he was always surrounded by shadows.

"Batman."

"I gather you didn't take the time out of your day to call me just to state my name."

_Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'no manners' Batman._

"Hello to you too, bats," Robin said dryly, "glad to see that wit is still intact."

"What is it?" Batman asked, no emotion in his voice as always.

"What, your old partner can't just call you to see how you and Al are doing?"

This made Batman raise an eyebrow, the only emotion he showed to anyone…well, except for rage.

"You're calling from the Titans's emergency post so I imagined that there might be an emergency."

"As always, those detective skills are at their best," he joked but he was merely buying time. For what, he didn't know himself.

Batman sighed, obviously annoyed by his ward's act.

"Get to the point."

Robin rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat as he was about to speak, nervousness floating around his sotmach.

"One of the Titans has been abducted. Starfire, you remember her."

A pause.

"Red hair, green eyes, Tamaranian royalty, has the ability to shoot powerful bolts…"

_Lustrous auburn curls, dazzling angelic eyes, the princess to an entire planet, and one of the best most passionate fighters he had ever know._

"Yeah, that's her," he mumbled. Batman's network shared information back and forth with the Titans network which was connected to the Justice League in the same way. Though they each made sure they minded their own bussiness, the sharing of the crime files had proven to be a helpful aid. As part of this deal was that each member was on file and shared among the two frequencies.

"Well," Robin coninued, "This lunatic took her the other day and he's made some sort of clone of her---"

"He cloned her?" asked Batman, with another raised eyebrow. This one meant he didn't know about this event until now.

"No, I mean she's a robot but she's made up of adamatium---"

"Great," Batman deadpanned, sounding very much like Raven at the moment, "So not only does this robot have your teammate's powers but it's also indestructable."

"Pretty much," said Robin with a sigh.

"Adamantium is very difficult to preserve. It needs to be stored under extreme high temperatures and it takes a whole lot of time and work to build a machine. You didn't know he was stealing all of these materials?"

Robin bit his inner lip, looking to the side for a while befor responding.

"We knew he was stealing all of this but we were caught up in…other things."

"Like what?" Batman asked in a slightly accusatory tone, leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms.

"There are _other _villains in the city, you know."

"And the fact that you seem to have recently acquired a love life had nothing to do with it, I gather."

"How did you---"

"I'm Batman," he responded plainly. Robin gave another roll of the eyes. It seemed that everytime he conversed with Batman, he became the master of eye-rolling, the king of teenage-hood. Could you blame him?

"You didn't answer the question," Batman reminded him after a short pause.

"So what if she and I are going out? It's not like its _that_ big of a deal."

"Yet, she's been abducted by some maniac, cloned, and could be dead for all you know."

Robin held Batman's gaze when he said this, a deadly expression on his face.

"She's not dead," Robin said, his voice changing once again from the lighter tone he had begun with, "Listen, all I need is one favor from you and I'll be out of your hair."

"You need Antarctic vibranium."

Left with the words in his mouth, Robin turned it into a deep and growling sigh.

"So?" he said instead, quite annoyed by this point.

Batman didn't say anything but he seemed to be thinking. Knowing better than to bother him, Robin maintained quiet as well. A couple of minutes passed and by then Robin began getting anxious. If he wasn't going to give it to him, he should just say it. They were wasting time…

"How many times have I told you not to get involved with a teammate," he said in a condenscending tone, "I told you this when you started persuing Batgirl---"

"I _know_ you are not talking about my private life when I'm asking you such an important question…" breathed Robin cynically.

"I am merely trying to tell you---"

"Listen Bats, all I'm asking is a simple question that needs a yes or no answer."

"It's not so simple, Robin," Batman said, shaking his head lightly, "I've warned you about letting people get close to you."

"Well, I'm not a sociopath like you," Robin replied with a huff, "I don't want to end up alone and miserable. Besides, that's is a rich thing for you to preach to me about._ You_ dated Catwoman!"

Batman narrowed his eyes at him, reflecting like a mirror the way Robin usually looked when he felt deadly. The pregnant pause was heavy with tension.

"I have some Antarctic vibranium left in the vault. Come pick it up by tomorrow night."

His tone was cutting and dangerous, a sign that Robin had hit a sore spot. With his mouth set on a grim line, Robin nodded.

"Batman out."

The screen flickered and turned off, leaving a slight buzz hanging in the air.

* * *

Three days passed. 

Robin's nights were filled with nightmares and worse, memories of Starfire. Half of the time he couldn't sleep because of the heavy guilt he felt over not being able to rescue Starfire. It had been weeks since he had last seen her, kissed her, touched her… He truly thought he would go insane with the anxiety that began eating him inside. Raven picked up these feelings easily. He seemed to be dripping with harsh emotions, making her uncomfortable enough to sneak into his mind and try to calm him. It took a lot to knock him out and she knew that in the morning, he would be both angered and thankful that she did it. Besides, Robin wasn't the only one feeling this way. They all felt the emptiness Starfire left in them. Raven wasn't used to not having the exuberance of cheerful emotions, of her high spirits, her ability to snap her out of her somberness even if it was for a small moment. She knew Gar was feeling it too. Starfire was the only one went out of her way to understand his jokes and though Raven was his 'girlfriend' she wasn't going to waste her time figuring why a Priest and a hog walked into a bar. Cyborg, on the other hand, felt the worry that a brother felt. It was more affectionate worry than anything else. Robin may be the leader of the group but it was Cyborg who usually took care of them since he was the oldest.

But when it all came down to it, Starfire had been missing for a couple of weeks with no signs of her whereabouts or whether she was ok or not. They were hoping that was about to end.

The Antarctic vibranium was ready for use, thanks to the hard works of Cyborg and Beast Boy who worked well together to put together all the pieces of the vibranium. It formed a rather large slab of metal vibranium powerful enough to take out the entire city. With the material ready, the Titans felt a lot more confident when they encountered Ravager once more. While the Titans had been resting in the emergency post, Ravager had wreaked havoc all over the city, making the ctizens ask "where in the world where the Teen Titans?"

But those questions were to be answered soon. The familiar shadows of the heroes soon fell upon the city, with the relief of city officials and civillians alike. Ravager had been destroying the small city for the hell of it, probably trying to get the attention of the Titans. Whatever the reasons, Ravager had made a big mess of Jump which was something the Titans were ready to stop. Like before, Ravager stood ready before the Titans, her stance ready and willing. With her sword out and ready, she countered Robin and Raven who served as a distraction to give Cyborg and Beast Boy enough time to set up the metal.

Batman had warned him (rather coldly, in fact. It seemed he had not forgotten Robin's smart remark about Catwoman) that while the vibranium would work against the robot, the effects were farspread and potentially dangerous, especially to Cyborg whose body was made up mostly of metal. Vibranium had the potential to virtually destroy any metal around a three mile radius so the Titans decided to lead them to a trap, somewhere far away from Jump.

It was there, in the outskirts of the city, that Beast Boy and Cybrog were waiting for Robin's signal. Once that signal came through, Beast Boy would help Cyborg escape as fast as possible. Raven's powers would protect the small amount of natural metal within their bodies as the vibrations of the vibranium would turn all metal into powder within minutes. So far, everything was going according to the plan.

Needless to say, Cyborg and Beast Boy took the easiest part of the plan, leaving Robin and Raven to fight off the infuriated robot.

"Where are your other little friends?" Ravager asked, her poisonous intent seeping through her sweet, innocent voice. The two Titans didn't say a word but merely stood ready to fight and as before, prepared to take quite a beating. Their plan was simple but painful. They were to initiate the battle with Ravager and maybe get beaten around a but, just enough for the robot to believe that they were giving up as before. When they 'retreated' Ravager was expected to follow them as she had done before and end in the trap they had for her.

But even before they carried out the plan, they already knew this was easier said than done.

By now, the two Titans weren't surprised by the force the robot exuded and instead, Robin took all the knowledge he had from Starfire and put it to good use. No matter how much strength Ravager had, Robin was more agile than the robot could ever hope to be. Yet, even with his agility, Ravager got her hits in, using Slade's side of her heritage to counter his attacks. Raven came back with a vengance as well. With incredible vigor, Raven slammed Ravager across the city, bashing her robotic body against cars, buildings, pavements, and anything else that got in the way.

However, with all the hits the Titans got in, Ravager became worse. Her power was amazing, able to knock them out with a single punch. Her unbeliavably great flying ability gave her he upper hand with both Raven and Robin as she manuevered through them both, landing excellent punches along the way. Once they saw that they were too weak to take anymore, the began to run. Raven held her leader by his arms as they flew through the deserted and broken streets of Jump city, hearing the loud stomps of their robotic villain behind them. Robin tiredly reached into his belt and took out his communicator, warning Cyborg of their approach.

"Everything's ready over here," he told Robin with a smile. Robin nodded and told them to go back to the hideout. The transmition cut, both teens continued to travel across the city. Robin looked up to see Raven's concentrated face looking ahead, her demeanor looked tired as she strained herself not to lose control. When they got to their destination, Raven dropped him hastily, landing next to him and wobbling slightly.

"You ok?" he asked her and received a weak nod in return, "Just one more step," he reminded her softly.

His head snapped to the loud rumble a couple of feet away from them. Ravager had arrived.

Stepping back, the Titans rustled to put her in the right position. They were standing in a semi-built building, surrounded by cranes and slabs of metal used to built the foundation. Ravager walked closer to them, her blue eyes glimming with a sense of dangerous rapture. Trying to stay standing, Raven looked at Robin, her eyes never leaving his serious and battered face. She needed to keep keen, keep alert for his signal.

"Now," he whispered, "Now Raven!"

Her pale hands raised to the heavens as a sharp piece of her soul self released from her fingers, cutting the string that held up the piece of Antartic vibranium and letting it fly to the ground. Both Ravager and Raven looked at the falling metal, eyes wide and fierce. Spreading her fingers out into the air, Raven surrounded them in her sould self as the slab hit the ground and millions of harsh waves swam through the air. A tense breeze of cold air hit the protective shield, making Raven groan against the pressure. Clenching her eyes, she held the shield as much as she could, trying to draw courage through Robin's words firm encouraging voice.

The vibrations demolished every metal it touched, annihilating it to dust and making it jump into the air, covering Ravager completely from sight. Once the vibrations, easily visible with so much dust in the air, subsided completely, Raven allowed the shield to disappear. The air was rigid, pushing their skin against some invicible force around them. The smell of dust, destruction, and melted metal lingered in the air, making them wheeze as they breathed in. Raven embraced Robin for support as they walked along the site, relying on Robin's vigilant eyes to spot what they hoped was yet another defeated villain.

After a couple of minutes, Robin felt Raven trailing, her body failing her as they walked. Via communicator, he informed Beast Boy and Cyborg to come pick them up. Through the screen, Robin saw them high five each other, dancing around happily at the notice. A small smiled settled on his lips after what seemed to be an eternity.

Suddenly, through the sand and heavy dirt around them, a creature appeared staggering into the light. Instantly taking his bo-staff out, Robin held Raven back, protecting her as the creature walked closer. Ravager, once so beautiful and alluring had turned into a burnt skeleton, its skin hanging off the metallic bones eerily. The burnt metal dripped as she wobbled closer, one hand reaching out to them.

"Don't," Raven whispered as she felt him tense up, ready to finish her off, "Gar and Cyborg are coming."

He lay her down to the ground gently, caressing her hair in a brotherly manner. He showed her a small device in his hand, allowing himself to smile at her. Her eyes showed that she understood and nodded. With the little energy he had left, Robin pushed himself forward to the creature who stood back to defend herself this time. Trying not to touch her, he slammed her across the site, trying to find a certain spot where he could place the device.

He realized that to do so, he would have to suffer a bit. Biting his lip, he summoned the courage to jump on her, his uniform melting the moment he touched her. He gave her a good punch across her skeletal face and placed the device in one of the crevices on her ribs. He jumped off her as quickly as he could, biting back the pain. He heard the whirring of Cyborg's sonic blaster behind him and jumped back to join his severed team.

Ravager took a look at the Titans and some sort of human emotion flickered in her eyes.

Fear.

Without a second thought, Ravager picked herself up and ran.

Cyborg made a motion to go after her but Robin extended his arm to stop him.He gave Robin a confused glance but understood when Robin waved the tracking device at him.

Cyborg grinned.

* * *

YAY! 


	27. Chapter 27

I think that the plot is moving a bit fast but then again, I'm halfway through the story so the chances of it being done are like….none...yet. LOL.

And PLEASE take a few minutes to review. It means a lot to me, even if its just a 'good job' or something like that. It actually does inspire me to write, as corny as it may sound. After all, this is basically what I'm pouring over my free time.

* * *

**"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."**

_---Norman Cousins_

Her ealiest memories where of an acidic smell, the smell of machinery, chemicals, and the foulest odors combined into one. Her eyes had not opened until her father had given her the gift of eyesight but before she even witnessed her own birth, she_ felt_ it. Her limbs had been carefully attached to her body; her hands and legs had been one of the last pieces he had given her. Each eyelash was carefully placed on her eyelids, her ruby red lips were meticulously made and placed on her face. The smell of paint and chemically sensitive materials were the smells of her childhood. When she opened her eyes, _he_ was the first person she laid eyes on. _He _was the one who had granted her life so she worshipped no one else but her father. She respected no one else but her father. And she also feared no one else…until now.

The Titans, worthy opponents who had give her quite a run, had discovered a small flaw in her otherwise indestructable shell. And to her surprise, the mere humans had actually found a way to injure her badly enough for her to run away. But now she faced a bigger threat than the Titans.

She had to face her father.

Stumbling along the sides of the tunnel leading to their hideout, Ravager breathed in the dusty smell of th air around her. Her eyes, still the same staggering blue, looked around her carefully, her hands trying to keep her broken skin from falling apart. Most of her adamantium flesh had been burned off completely, running down her body into a metal pool around her feet. Her adamantium skeleton had survived and it was the only thing keeping her upright at the moment. She looked ghastly with most of her hair burned off and half of her face missing, either melted or blasted away. She knew when she faced her father in this condition, he would be extremely angered at her and at the Titans as well.

She staggered through the doors, calling out to her father in a low, pained voice. Through the dark atmosphere surrounding the donor of half of her DNA, Ravager looked around tentavely. She wasn't hurting; she wasn't human. She was very worried about how damaged she was though she knew her father would fix her within minutes. She walked to where her father stood, facing the small screen on the side of the place and showing all the reports of how much damage this new villain had caused. Though the energy had returned to Jump, the energy supply was being carefully used, only for the most important things such as hospitals and elderly homes.

"Father---"

"The damage is quite beautiful, darling," interrupted Slade's silky voice rang out, deep and rumbling, "Though my purpose was not this, I will admit that it is chaos is a wonderous sight."

"Father—" she tried again, her cry stronger than before. Slade slowly turned around, taking his time as if he had nothing else to do. When he spotted her leaning against a tall, metal post, she couldn't be sure what he felt. All that she knew is that he walked closer to her, very nonchalantly and studied her for a second. Without a moment's hesitation, his arm slammed against her face, the sound of her metal body connecting with the metal protections on his arm and it rang into the empty air.

Ravager merely stumbled to the side, more hurt by his actions than by the hit. She raised her eyes to look at him, showing the first signs of emotions which she had been bestowed upon by the Tamaranean girl lying captive a room away. Yet, her eyes lightened when her father, ever so cruel, reached to her and gently directed her to a metal table, telling her to lie down.

"No matter," he muttered, putting on gloves as he spoke, "The moment for your completion is here."

With that, he reached into his belt and took out the remote. Ravager managed to whisper a small apology for letting him down, her eyes soon becoming heavier and her sight became blurry as her father disconnected her. Her last comprehensive vision was that of her father, gently raking his fingers through her hair.

* * *

His name had once been Slade Wilson, a young man who entered the military with hopes of getting respect and education through the Army. His eyes had always been full of spark and high hopes, even with his fiery personality and stubborn sense of self. He found a way to lie about his age and was able to get into the army with no trouble at all, something he had desperately hoped for since he was very young. Once in the army, he encountered many harsh trainings and many new expiriences. He grew to be strong both physically and mentally; his weaknesses became strenghts, his mind expanded with knowledge, and his future seemed bright. He met many teachers, each more learned than the one before. But there had been one particular one that had enraptured him from the very beginnning. Her name had been Adeline Kane, an incredible strong woman who shared his passions and beliefs. Needless to say, at such an age, he fell in love and wed the woman without a second thought. He was happier than he had ever been in his life, convinced that he had done the right thing by going into the army.

But then things started to sour. The army had promised him a hefty amount of scholarship money for him to go on to college after he left the army but they did not deliver. Slade was faced with the prospect of finding a job to take care of his wife and his first child on the way. For months, he tried to find a career suitable for him. First he found a position as a cop but quickly found out that doling parking tickets was not his idea of a good job. His next job was that of a security guard but this was not to his liking as well. Sitting down by a door was not something he was meant to do. So he panicked. Grant, his first newborn son had arrived and was in need of food, pampers, and the medical bills had shot to the roof. So Slade did something radical but necessary.

Through a friend of his, Wintergreen, he found out that there was a certain lab that was experimenting on people; they wanted to see if their truth serum worked properly or not. Slade was paid plenty to come in and take a few shots to the arm, answer a couple of questions, and stay under observation for a couple of hours. Things turned better once again and his wife, whom he loved more as the days passed, and in time, she found herself pregnant once more. Content with his wife, child, and expecting another addition, Slade continued his job as a guinea pig. Sometime he would come home feeling tired and sickly, ready to drop any moment and other days he would the image of an over-hyperactive boy, bouncing up and down the walls with excitement. His wife adviced against any more experiments but Slade, stubborn as always, waved her comments away.

He knew what he was doing; it was all for his family. But soon, his health decreased as the experiments began to take its toll on him. Finally, at the words of his wife, he decided he had had enough of the experiments. He quit the job, disregarding the threats that the scientists gave him. He wanted no more to do with it. At this time, his health worsened. He could no longer stand up properly and his body felt like it was made out of rubber. Adeline had to take a job to support the family even though she was a couple of months pregnant. Slade came close to death, too close for Adeline's comfort. Yet, she was always there by his side, no matter what Slade went through and through his sluggishness, he would murmur sweet nothings to her.

Yes, this is the same Slade that stands in front of the Titans, his voice steely and his glare ready toward the young heroes. Once upon a time, he had been a regular man, with a loving wife and children, friends, and a life that did not involve the Titans.

After his health deteriorated it, it suddenly came back better than ever with no real reason. It surprised both Slade and Adelize alike. In fact, Slade noted just how incredibly incredible he felt. His limbs felt stronger than before, his mind was cleared of any clutter, and his entire being felt empowered. As good as he felt, the feeling soon subsided when he found out that his pregnant wife was working at a factory for more than twelve hours to support the family. Slade took care of this immediately. Drastic actions were taken and soon, he found himself taking a job as a mercenery. His body became an asset to him. He suspected it was the truth serums he had been tested with but somehow, someway, his body was incredibly agile, his alertness was at an all time high and his stamina sky rocketed. In other words, he became some sort of meta-human with amazing abilities. The only job that could use his abilities was the one he enjoyed the most.

Adeline was surprised to find how much money Slade was making at his job. He had told her he became a hunting instructor and that was the reason why he worked such strange hours. He would travel a lot, something that Adeline found suspicious but with two baby boys to take care of, she paid no never mind to it. Her husband looked happy and well, the family was taken care of, and her marriage was doing better than ever.

But when one of his assignments got hold of his own assisination plans, he sent a terrorist to gather as much information as he could about the mercenary known to be Deathstroke. Slade had his worst nightmare come to life. His second son, Joseph Wilson, was stolen and kept prisoner for leverage. Having no choice, he told his grieving wife who he was and what had happened. His wife never looked at him the same way again. Her eyes turned deadly and cold, full of hatred and revulsion. Her shouts and tears moved the hardened man but he never showed it to her. He had become more than Slade by that time. He had become Deathstroke, the Terminator.

Together, he and his wife went to find their son. When the terrorist, known to all as Jackal demanded answers to specific questions about the assasination, Deathstroke took a gambit. He threw precautions to the wind in order to save his son. Ignoring his wife's shouts, he went ahead and saved his son's life but at a cost. The Jackal had gotten enough time to slit the young boy's throat, leaving him completely mute and scarred for life. This was enough for his faithful wife.

After a heated confrontation, Adeline became hysterical; her husband was a murderer, her son was in critical condition at the hospital, and her last five years with her husband had all been a lie. Crazed and delirious from what had happened, she went head to head with Slade, confronting him with a gun. When the argument became too much, her finger slipped and the bullet headed straigh for her husband. Slade's quick reflexes saved him but the bullet took the better half of his eye, blinding him from that eye permanantly.

His marriage was officially over. His wife left with their two sons and a daughter under way. She didn't look back as she left him nor did she give him any signs that he would ever see her again. For years after, Slade tried to get them back. He had not yet become that heartless man so many thought him to be. He continued his mercenary job, each day killing with more passion, with more rage over his destroyed life. Once so happy, he felt he had hit rock bottom. And that's when _they_ hit.

All those whose own lives had been annhialated by Deathstroke took their revenge on the man, the living flesh and blood, Slade Wilson. His wife and kids became targets to the most cruel punishments, the harshest abuse, and in the end of it all, death. Deathstroke was not a man to aggravate. The pictures of his murdered wife and children were more than enough for Slade to lose whatever human part of him he had left. He vowed a vendetta, to take revenge on those who had taken away his chance to be wholesome again, to be human.

Up until now, he had not yet had that chance. The life of wickedness had stirred something inside of him; the need for power, the need for closure, a need he tried to acquire through the Boy Wonder when he took him for aprentice. Trying to reproduce the feeling he had with his son Joseph, Slade came off as a vicious amd cruel man when in reality, his reasons were very human. Of course, he never went out of his way to make the Titans understand this. He had his own personal reasons for doing what he did and like always, he never justified his actions, not even to himself.

So when he looked up at the young Titan woman tied up on his machine, he felt no remorse or guilt on what he was about to do. In fact, he felt satisfied. After all these years, he thought, I will finally extract the revenge he so deserved to get. He would avenge his sons and his sweet wife…

Ravager was created after the daughter he had never known. He based her on his wife's beauty. The grimace was still on his face as he tied her up as well, her body broken and destroyed. He could imagine what autrocitites his wife must have gone through because of those bastards…(never because of Slade himself, he always tried to do what was best for the family).

With a smile and a grimace playing simultaneously on his face, his head raised to look at the opening shift doors on top of the roof of his workshop. A sheet of sunlight entered the dark and somber room, bathing them completely in its warmth. Slade raised his hands and basked in its glow.

His dreams of revenge had finally come true.

* * *

As the Titans tracked the robot down, they were sidetracked by the fact that Ravager had found the device and destroyed it. Robin had expected no less from her but they had followed quickly enough to get farther than they had been before. To all of their susrprises, the trail had been long and harsh and they felt like they had followed for days. With his trusty motorcycle by his hand, he and the rest of the Titans would ride through the tunnels when they would get tired. It seemed that Ravager was unstoppable, even with her destroyed body. She continued at a steady rate, as fast as her damaged body would let her but even then, it was too fast for the Titans. Still, it proved to be too much for the Titans. After a couple of days, they turned hungry, bad-tempered and exhausted.

By this point, Robin decided that they would surface to get a good night's rest and some food, something the Titans were extremely thankful for. As they surfaced, Beast boy uttered what they were all thinking.

"Uh, Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

He was somewhat right. They had officially left the United States and had traveled all the way down to Mexico where the air was humid and the atmosphere energized. By far, they were the strangest sight there. A couple of teenage superheroes did not fit well in a place where women carried their children in knapsacks on their back and wore old fashioned chompas with straw hats. They sweatdropped simultaneously, looking around them with squinted eyes.

"How do we get to a hotel from here?" asked Raven, putting her hood up to protect her gfrom the glaring sun.

"I dunno," said Robin doubtfully, "Do any of you know spanish?"

All eyes turned to Raven who was by far the most learned in languages. She raised her hands in protest.

"The closes to spanish I know is latin."

"Good enough," said Beast Boy with a toothy smile and pushed her to the nearest woman who was sitting down peeling potatoes.

"Bonus oriens , quam es vos?"

The wrinkled woman took her time to look up to the hooded girl. She squinted her eyes against the sun and opened her mouth to speak.

"Perdoneme pero no la entiendo," she said in a gnarled voice, offering her a tired smile before returning to her work.

With a sigh, Raven returned to her expectant friends and shrugged her shoulders. They groaned with tiredness and decided they would look around for someone or some sign that would tell them just where they could drop off. The tracker continued to beep against Robin's hand but he wasn't too worried about Ravager. The tracker had recorded the last place she had stopped at and that was good enough for now. They felt like they were moving ahead and it settled their rattled nerves.

But for now, they needed a place to crash.

* * *

After a day of sleep and a ton of money wasted on monstrous amounts of food, the Titans felt ready to go back down to the rabbit hole once again. Except this time, they would rather use the surface than the tightly packed tunnels and passageways. To fly in the warm sweet breeze of Mexico was something both Raven and Beast boy enjoyed greatly, appreciating the joy of spreading their wings at last. But as they got closer to the place where the tracker stopped, a harsh hot wind blew against them, greatly contrasting the usual windless surroundings of Mexico.

"Guys," sqwacked Beast Boy, turning himself into a bull to stand against the breeze, "This is one heavy wind."

"No kidding," answered Cyborg with a scoff, "What the hell is causing it?"

His sensors began to give the answer. They started beeping wildly, one after the other, the beeps and tones exclaiming loudly.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, looking at his sensors bewilderedly, "The heat charts are going off the chain. Whatever Slade is doing, he's using a lot of thermal power as well as electricity."

"What could he possibly be doing?" Raven asked, her hair blowing wildly around her hood. No one answered until Robin raised his eyes, full of revelization and fear.

"Ravager is part of Starfire, right?" he asked, not waiting to be answered, "But Starfire's powers are both natural and unnatural. What's the unnatural part of her substained by?"

"Solar power," muttered Raven, catching on to Robin's train of thought, "But to do that he needs the most amount of solar power…Cyborg, what time is it?"

Taken back by her sudden question, Cyborg hesitated a second before looking at his built-in watch.

"In Central America, it's about eleven in the morning, why?"

"Well, the sun's voltage is most powerful from eleven in the morning until four in the afternoon but its energy is most powerful at about two in the afternoon."

"That explains why Star's always so hyper all the time," interjected Beast Boy with a smile.

"So what do you think he's doing?" asked Cyborg, his voice tense with anxiety.

"The robot has Star's strength and flying abilities but she's missing something else from Starfire…" Robin trailed off worriedly, letting someone else finish for him.

"Her bolts," breathed out Beast Boy, his eyes widdening with understanding. They looked at each other for the smallest beat before proceeding in their search, becoming more bothered by the second.

"So why Central America?" asked Cyborg to no one in particular, squinting his human eye against the hot air of Mexico.

"Let's think logically," answered Raven once more, her cape billowing behind her as she flew next to Beast Boy, "Star's powers are sun based, right? What part of the world has the most sunlight available than any other part?"

"The equator," Beast Boy squaked beside her, in the shape of a bright colored parrot before turning into a llama and landing with a 'plop' next to Robin's motorcycle.

"Exactly," said Raven with a smile, "my guess is that he needs as much sunlight as he can get to power Ravager back to normal."

"He doesn't know how to get the sun's power to Ravager…" Robin intercepted, his eyes staring straight ahead of him then his eyes widened with realization, "He's transfering Star's powers to the robot."

The Titans looked at each other nervously, not willing to think how much damage that might cause to Starfire. She herself didn't know how she worked. Her powers had been given to her unwillingly and unwanted. For a psycho like Slade to mess with her DNA and internal anatomy was not a calming thought at all.

Robin had begun to panic by now. An entire month had passed without her and he felt the effects of it personally. The team itself was hurting as well and it was then that he truly realized just how much they needed each other. It wasn't just Starfire they needed but all they had in the world was each other. No one else, no parent or no friend, accepted them as they were; a changeling, a half-demon, an alien, a cyborg…and a sidekick.

Utilizing his sidekick status, Robin charged Bruce's card once again and the Titans made their way to the equator via a private plane.

They had to figure out exactly where she was---before they all ran out of time.

* * *

After a rude awakening, Starfire was forced back to the a completely new lab she had never seen before. She guessed Slade had moved her again to another secure area and Starfire hoped it was because the Titans had caught up to her in the last hideout. Still drugged, her mind was now a complete blank. Her body couldn't heal itself so quickly and the drugs were affecting her system horribly. As Slade carried her back to the lab, she choked on her own saliva, her body convulsing with vomit as her body tried to get rid of the alien susbtances. She was forced into the lab room, a small silver looking room with no windows, one bolted door, and a million gadgets and machines that were usually hooked up to her.

Star was pushed into the slab of metal that became her bed for most of the time. Her head dropped to the side where, out of weary eyes, she saw Ravager sitting peacefully, her clothes gone and half of her body melted. She looked appalling in every sense of the word. No longer was she beautiful or radiant. She looked every bit of the unusual monster she was; wires and cables stook out of her chest cavity and though her hair was still attacked to her scalp, half of it was burned off and falling out.

Starfire felt the sharp pokes of needles into her skin but she barely winced. She had gotten used to all of it by now. Out of her foggy mind, she wondered why her daughter looked so damaged. _Was she her daughter_? Her eyes sparkled with the same radiance Starfire's usually sparkled with. Her eyes were the same beautiful color that Richard possesed and out of the corner of her mind, she muttered his name out loud. Her head bounced back to stare at the bright light shining right above her. Maybe she was dying. It wouldn't be so bad now. Better than what she was dealing with.

_Where were they?_

With a harsh tug, Slade took her by the arms and dragged her to a large, spider looking machine. There was a dent in the middle of the machine where he pushed her into. Her legs didn't have the strength to support her and she collapsed against the cold metal. With a frustrated grunt, Slade held her up and called for Ravager who picked herself up and staggered to help her father chain her up. Two large metal chains around her wrists held her body's weight as she tried not to moan with pain. Her half closed eyes tried to figure out what was happening but his baritone voice sounded garbled in her ears. She saw hazy images of Ravager being chained the same way as she was but with more love and care from Slade, something that frightened Stafire more than being captured by this madman.

Groaning, Starfire attempted to yank the chains off, testing just how weak she was. She could barely move her arm. With a sigh, she reserved the meager amount of energy for later. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach, one that Robin often relied upon, and it wasn't any good news for her. In fact, as the machine started rumbling with power, Starfire began to panic. Slade walked over to her, already done with whatever he needed to do with Ravager.

"Now this won't hurt a bit," he promised, a cold smile on his face, "though it might sting at first."

He placed metal rods all over her body, sticking small needles in her skin to make sure the rods stick. In any other situation, it wouldn't have hurt but she was so weak and fragile at the moment that they hurt like nothing else. Squeezing her eyes shut, she couldn't help but pray to her goddess, the great and mighty X'hal who, like Starfire, had been sold into slavery and forced through horrible things. Yet, she had emerged from all of it a Goddess. Starfire only hoped she would come out of it alive.

The machine began to rumble horribly, making her head hurt immediately. Her whole body rattled with the power of the machine; her milky white face turned into a grimace as it began to move, making her injured body cry out in pain. Below her, Slade had awoken Ravager who also looked down upon her father with a smile before turning her eerie eyes on Starfire. There was no hatred in her eyes but a sense of unimportance, as if Starfire wasn't even there. No recognition.

"When you are complete my daughter," boomed out Slade, raising his hands to the heavens, "You will be my right hand, my salvation from this vengance that's eating me up. We will take revenge on those who have done me wrong…" his voice became lower, speaking more to himself than Ravager, "…those who took away everything I had once."

The machine moved at a snail's space, slowly and hesitantly. The heavy parts moaned under the weight of the whole apparatus, sending shivers down Starfire's spine. And for the first time in X'hal knows when, Starfire saw the warm, pleasant bright yellow rays of the sun peeking through the opening ceiling on top of her. Her face instantly turned upwards and her eyes instantly closed when she felt the first nurturing ray hit her face. Her body vied for its nourishment, claiming each radiant, beaming light for itself. For the first time in a long time, she felt ok. Not great but not awful…just…ok.

And the feeling was intense.

Her skin drank the nourishment hungrily, her head stopped spinning and the deliriousness that followed her everywhere stopped. She began to feel like herself again but the feeling did not last long. A strong pull from inside her body swelled into an enormous capacity until Starfire could no longer take it. She felt life breathed into her, her very pores drank in the sunlight, and her eyes watered with joy. Already, her body was becoming stronger.

And just as suddenly as the rays hit her neing, the sun's rays were no longer being used to reclaim health into her body. Instead, she felt the rods sticking out of her skin suck the energy she had gathered from her very veins. Agitated, she fought valiantly against it, creating quite a commotion since a little of her strength had returned. The machine rattled against her abuse, her yells of commotion mixing with the shouts of Slade who tried to calm her down.

Then the shocks came, draining her of whatever minute amount of energy she had managed to get. With a painful wail, the air shook as the Titans finally made their appereance.

And they were pissed off angry.

* * *

My doggy is gorgeous, by the way. You wanna know his name? It's Robin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanna know what's funnier? He comes from a long line of fancy breed with names such as...Remy D'imartino, Bruce Whittaker, Elizabeth Sandy...Yes, these are names of his parents and grandparents and we named him...Robin. He has more family history than I do (seriously, we can trace it back to his 13X great grandparents) and they all have fancy names and we named him ROBIN!

Oh man...


	28. Chapter 28

Whoo that was tiresome.

* * *

_"Anger is momentary madness," (Ir a furor brevis est)_

**--- Horace, 'Epistles'**

_"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."_

**--- William Shakespeare, 'Julius Caesar'**

_"The wind doth blow to-say, my love,_

_and a few small drops of rain;_

_I never had but one true love,_

_In cold grave she was lain…_

_he said …'I crave one kiss of your clay-cold lips,_

_and that is all I seek.'"_

**---Anonymous, 'The Unquiet Grave' (shortened version)**

After hours on the plane, the Titans looked out their window with wide eyes and open mouths. They didn't know exactly where they were flying off to; they were going on hunches ever since they lost the connection with Ravager. But they caught a break... finally! After looking out their window, it was Beast Boy who first spotted it. The plane flew right over a large metal dome in the middle of the dense tropical forest, cleverly hidden by the natural scenery. Covered by the jade tree tops and the radiant sun, the Titans could have never seen it if it had not been for Beast boy's keen eyesight. Robin immediately ran to the pilot, asking him to fly around the area and deposit them as near as the dome as possible. Hesitantly, the pilot agreed since Robin offered a hefty amount of extra money. He had learned from Bruce that as sad as it may be, money does make the world go 'round.

Cyborg ran all kinds of scans on the dome as they landed, informing them that there were at least two life-forms in there and he could give a pretty accurate guess as to who those were. He also told them that the source of all the energy he had been getting on his scanners centered in that particular spot. It was so concentrated that his scanners could not read it properly; they merely read the obvious which was how strong the energy coming from the dome truly was.

Landing a few feet away from the site, the Titans walked without hesitation toward the large dome, their ears straining to shut out the powerful plane rudders as it left, leaving them behind with no way to get home. The trees around them were wild with life; birds chirped loudly, crickets squeaked happily, and the sound of wildlife rang in their ears. The sun shone brightly on top of them, making them sweat the moment they stepped out of the air conditioned plane. Beads of sweat dropped down Robin's face as his eyes narrowed the moment he raised his head to look at the monumental piece of metal in front of him.

Slade had gone through a lot of trouble to build this structure in the middle of Ecuador's flourishing forest. It looked like an observatory, the metal glinting away any of those who came close. He turned to his fellow teammates, his voice deep with trouble.

"This is it, guys," he started as easily as he could, "I dunno what's going to happen in there but there's one thing we need to make sure of."

He looked around to everyone to emphasize the point.

"We need to get Star out of there."

The Titans nodded, agreeing to this to the fullest extent.

"We need to work together and make sure none of us get hurt. That—thing is still alive in there and it's extremely powerful. We don't have the vibranium anymore so let's not try to defeat this thing. We get in, we get Star, and leave. Understood?"

Another wave of nodding passed through the Titans again. As they turned to look at the dome, they steadied their nerves and calmed their worries. It was time to play the hero again, time to put their lives out on the line once more but this time, it was not to save some random stranger on the street. This time, it was for a friend.

"Let's go, Titans."

* * *

The Titans stood on top of the moving ceiling, their stances ready and their eyes steely. Starfire seemed yelled within her confinement, her harsh cries coming from the back of the throat. She screeched in pure pain, as if she was being ripped apart but in reality that was exactly how she felt. The energy that naturally gathered within her whenever the sun's rays touched her was being sucked out of her very veins. The intensity with which the power transplant worked was so great that Starfire's voice grew hoarse within minutes until all she could do was thrash around violently, trying to call upon the last ounce of her strength to free herself. Ravager, on the other hand, was wide alert, her inhuman eyes capturing everything that occurred. Slade merely smiled at the sight, his throaty chuckle igniting a growing flame inside of Robin. They jumped down, the team going straight for Starfire while Robin jumped down in front of Slade, his two bo-staffs out and fists clenched tightly. 

It would end today.

"I suggest your friends didn't try to get her out," Slade muttered sinisterly, keeping his eyes on his ex-apprentice, "You'll find that's quite impossible."

They found out the hard way. As they ran toward, the air around the two women tied up charged and sizzled the Titans as they tried to reach her, throwing them backwards onto the floor. As a precaution, more than three dozen Slade-bots materialized out of nowhere, making sure the plan would go as plan. As the explosions went off around them and the smoke began to cloud over the space, the silhouettes of the two rivals stood out, ready to end the detestation they had for each other.

Battle cries emerged from the Titans, accompanied by destruction and obliteration of the machines around them, and the sounds of shrieks from Starfire surfaced through the air. And still, Robin stood in his stance, facing the man who had caused so much pain in his teenage years.

"Excited?" Slade asked, his baleful voice chiming in the air, "This is what it comes down to, my dear boy. It is either you or I."

Robin said nothing. He didn't need to say it. The truth was plain and simply put out there. Today would indeed be the day.

Robin trusted his team to get Starfire out of the machine. He knew they could do it; he had extreme faith in them. His responsibility was not Starfire at the moment. Yes, he had searched endlessly for her, he had worried years off his life expectancy for her, and spent many sleepless nights thinking of random memories between them but still, his responsibility fell on something else. And that something else charged straight at him, his tight fist headed straight for his face.

Robin swung his body back, his spine arching with inhuman movement. His legs gave him enough momentum to swing him out of harm's way but he fell into a crouch, looking up in time to see Slade's metal boot aimed at him. He rolled to his side, sending his own leg into a crouched roundhouse kick straight into the back of his knee, making him lose his balance. Slade fell back but not complete. Instead, he used his arms to support the weight of his body and using his arms as an impulse, he thrust himself upward once more.

Bo staffs still ready, the battle continued.

Meanwhile, Raven had formed a small plan. She let Beast Boy and Cyborg blast a path to Starfire and using her powers, she found the source of the magnetic field and destroyed it. Through the dust and the haze of broken machines, the three Titans made their way to their fellow friend, praying that Starfire was merely weak, not dead. With furor, Beast Boy and Cyborg battled as many bots as they could. Becoming a raptor, Beast Boy crunched as many robots as he could in between his sharp teeth, feeling the electrical charge of the dying robots between his lips. Cyborg extended his hidden weapons, making him look like a bad ass version of Robo-cop. Missiles fired from his shoulders, small grenades were shot off from his chest, and his sonic cannon were the cause of many explosions and destruction.

Without the magnetic field, Raven flew into the radius of the machine, her mind calling out for Starfire's. She found her aura and instantly wished she hadn't. The pain running through Starfire's body was so extreme that Raven nearly collapsed mid-flight. Her eyes watered as her head began to throb violently. Looking upwards, she could only guess just how dreadful Starfire felt. She let her soul self escape, trying to calm the girl but that was near impossible. Her very body was on fire.

"Guys," Raven called out, her agonized voice reaching their ears though they were each far away, "Forget them, we need to get her out!"

Nodding, the two Titans made their way towards Raven, looking up to see the spectacle.

The machine was rather large and truly looked like a spider. There were two crevices in which both Ravager and Starfire were held in. From that part of the machine, a dozen large tubes elongated out for miles it seemed. They were aroused every time a watt of solar power was absorbed into Starfire's body and transferred that energy into Ravager who willingly received it. Those were the first thing that the Titans aimed for.

Slade was caught in his own battle. His bo-staff contained a few dents from its meeting with Robin's own staff. His eyes glanced at Ravager who gave him a nod, indicating she was doing ok. The Titans had gotten closer to the machine by now and he could see that they were aiming for the tiberean tubes. Those were essential for the transfer. But Slade did not worry. Already, Ravager began to gain strength as her deep blue eyes began to glow brightly against the sunlight beaming down upon the small nation of Ecuador. Slade turned back to the Boy Wonder and began to speak, his voice teasing and taunting.

"Your girlfriend was quite a subject to study," he said clearly, "I gather you are familiar with her…physical structure as well?"

At the sound of his mocking voice, Robin growled and aimed the staff straight for his head. Slade smiled inwardly. He knew the child well. Get him riled up enough and his concentration was shot completely. That way, bringing him down was jokingly easy.

"Beautiful creature, she is," he continued, moving his arm to deflect another hit and taking this moment to bring his leg upward, hitting Robin straight on the side of his rib. Robin doubled over, his hand reaching for the injured spot.

"Her body was unlike anyone else's…" he jumped, deflecting the sweeping movement of the boy's leg, "It was quite—unique."

Robin's throat emitted a growl and he threw his bo-staff to the ground. Surprised but pleased, Slade followed suit. The fight became a dance. A moment's blink could cause you to loose several movements. Fists flew as limbs thrashed about, each man wanting to hit their mark but missing every time. Then the dirty tricks flew in. Explosives were thrown from a leap in the air, raining on the expected target below. Robin's belt became lighter and lighter still as he fought like he had never fought before. As his fist threw a hit upward, the other hand reached for a pressure point on the man's neck, making it harder to breathe or even move. After every leap, a grenade or a bat-a-rang would come swooping down on Slade who would rather meet it with his own.

As that battle raged on, Starfire continued to fight her own. Her body felt icy by now. No longer was she hot or burning. Instead, she felt her insides freeze and her body become numb, a welcome relief after all the pain. Even her throat had stopped hurting. And yet, a small part of her brain told her that this wasn't a good sign. She felt herself leave this plane, her body became light and her eyes became heavy. If she slept, she thought logically, everything would stop.

But then she realized that this wasn't what she needed to do. If there was one thing she had learned in all her years of being a slave, it was that sleep always came with a price. So with a tremendous amount of effort, she forced her eyes to open and witness the scene in front of her. At first, she was convinced that she was dreaming. She had to be! But when she heard the familiar snarl that escaped from Robin, she knew they were there for her. Her heart lightened and her prayers were answered. Even if she did die, she would not be alone.

Starfire felt Raven reach out to her, her aura feeling harsh enough (though in reality it wasn't) to wound Starfire's fragile aura.

'We're here," Raven offered to the wounded Titan, "We're going to get you out."

All she received in return was a feeble acknowledgment but that was enough for Raven. Raven levitated into the air and closed her eyes. She began chanting her famous mantra over and over, each time with more resolution and each time, a black web spread from her fingers and slowly enclosed the machine. Slade gave the witch a quick glance before focusing his eyes on Ravager. She gave him a nod, her silent stare telling him all he needed to know.

The witch could destroy the machine all she wanted. Ravager was complete.

There was a resounding boom as explosions surrounded the small enclosed space. The sunlight peered in through the smoke, creating a heavenly atmosphere into the otherwise somber scene. Coughing, Raven looked around to the ground, her eyes instantly spotting a small, green tortoise hiding inside its shell. Cyborg emerged from the smoke upright, his entire arsenal exposed for everyone to see. He looked beat as he looked around for Starfire, his red eye blinking every couple of seconds. With a cry, he found her and ran to her, reaching her in speed time as Raven floated down beside her.

"She's ok?" asked Beast Boy, transforming back into his human self as he ran toward them.

"Her vitals are faint but she's breathing."

The scanners on his arms monitored her heart rate, her breathing, and her vitals closely; the sound of the beeping calmed their nerves immensely. Turning around, they directed their attention to Robin who stood side-by-side with Slade, their eyes not on the fallen Titan but on someone behind them. Robin's cry of warning came too late. With a flash of blue, the four Titans were blown back, their bodies flying around like rag dolls. Landing in a pile, they barely made a sound as their world turned black.

Immediately, Robin somersaulted to their side, throwing his broken bo-staff to the ground and taking out his bird-a-rangs, extending them into two katanas. He faced Ravager and Slade alike as they walked toward him, their unfaltering gaze settled on him. Ravager's body was still damaged but she didn't act as if she was injured. The old confident smile stood steady on her face, her eyes glowing a dazzling sapphire, the same color as her newly given bolts.

"This is no longer about you and your precious team," stated Slade quite simply, "In fact, it has never been quite about the Titans. However, if you give us a reason to, Ravager and I will put you out of commission for good. I suggest you step aside."

"No," Robin rumbled quietly. His ears perked up at the sound of moans behind him, a moan that sounded strangely familiar.

"Ickthar huaputa…"

Robin kept his eyes on Slade but his heart lightened considerably. She was up and cursing…always a good sign. A moment later, Cyborg gave his own English translation of what Starfire had put so eloquently in her language. Slowly, the Titans got up, rubbing their heads and moaning but stood behind Robin all the same, ready to go into battle.

The five Titans stood side by side, together at last.

Robin cast a nervous glance at Starfire who stood up on wobbly legs, her eyes bloodshot and extremely drained but her courage to stand beside them gave him his own needed boost.

"Ravager, let's end this quickly."

Nodding at his father's command, Ravager flew into the air and extended her limbs, her fingertips glowing blue as a dozen sharp bolts flew from each o her fingertips and straight into the Titans. Robin pounced on Starfire, rolling them out of harm's way. He landed straight on top of her, looking down on her grimacing face with gentle concern. Even with all the blasts and outbursts from around them, he took the time to smile down on her as she opened her green eyes and looked at him.

"Richard," she mouthed, her voice officially leaving her. He gave her a small smile, getting up from his position. And for that moment, a warmth passed through them that neither had felt in a long time. Her body felt good underneath him once more, her radiance was blinding him, and though her lips were cracked, they looked as delicious as ever. Her eyes suddenly turned horrified as she pointed behind him but it was too late; he had been too distracted. The bo-staff connected with the back of his neck and his eyes were covered with bright stars as his body was kicked to the ground. From somewhere in the far distance, he heard a hoarse growl but he couldn't quite pinpoint it. His skull felt like it was on fire, about to break open any moment. Rubbing the back of his head, he stumbled to his knees, feeling a sticky substance run down his neck. He dared not shake his head but he opened his eyes, needing to know what was happening around him.

He relied on his other senses to guide him, his eyesight being useless at the moment. He heard the sounds of battle, raging cries of his fellow teammates and the familiar jingles of bolts though he knew they did not originate from Starfire.

Starfire!

Straining his ears, he looked around the hazy image his eyes provided and tried to locate her. Ravager had Raven by her hair, making her eyes water in pain and from somewhere to her right, a green bull appeared, knocking Ravager to her side. She dragged Raven along as much as possible but at the end, she let her go, letting her roll away from her grip. With a deep snarl, Raven levitated into the air and released her soul self, making the ground rumble and the concrete crack into a myriad of vein like fractures, creating a crater in which Ravager fell in with a yell before Raven closed the earth on her.

"Why is she so obsessed with my hair?" muttered Raven darkly, leaning on Beast Boy as she massaged her scalp. Robin continued to look for Starfire but he didn't need to look anymore. He heard Cyborg's yell from somewhere to his left, warning Slade to let Starfire be. His answer was lost when the rumbling beneath their feet became exceedingly loud, causing the ground to quake violently. Ravager broke loose through the chunks of concrete and flew into the air with majestic grace, her mangled hands aiming a dazzling blue starbolt straight toward the Titans. Through the mess, Robin ran with superhuman speed, throwing a couple of small round shaped bombs at Slade's feet, making him loose his balance on contact. The utility belt became his best weapon. Hidden inside its many pockets, there were innumerable devices that, when properly used, it could bring down the worst of villains out there.

Slade's hand was closed around Starfire's neck but she was awake, thanks to the amount of sunlight still coming through the roof though the upcoming clouds that began to hide the sun's warmth away was disturbing. Sifting through his pockets, Robin took out a bat-a-rang, letting it fly across the air on top of him. When the bat-a-rang opened, it let out a dozen cords that flew into the nearest walls, securing themselves properly into the metal holds. From the cords, small handles stood still, waiting to be used when possible. Grabbing the nearest one, Robin pressed the button and shot off in Slade's direction. The momentum gave him the lift to perform an impossible tumble in the air to come down with as much force was he could on his right leg, directly aimed at Slade.

Slade had not been expecting a hit after loosing his balance with the small explosives. He felt the impact before he heard his mask shatter into a million pieces and his grip finally released. Starfire fell with a thud, her body unable to take even the most simplest of injury. Robin stood by her, helping her up as quickly as he could and letting her grab onto the handle. But as he tried to help her, he heard the 'clunck' of Slade's footsteps from behind him and his mind raced. He felt Starfire tense up beside him but when he turned, he did not expect the surge of rage running through her injured face. She faced the man who had haunted her for what seemed to be an eternity, her hands balled up into fists and her eyes glowing gently with anger. Robin desperately wanted to say something against it, against her will to fight alongside him but he knew he couldn't. Not only was she of a warrior race but Starfire was not the type to shy away from battle, especially when she was the one who hurt the most. She would willingly go into battle, the thirst for the violence that had been input into her by her culture standing out in moments such as this.

They let go off the handle and stood side by side, their eyes on Slade as he walked calmly toward them. He didn't worry about the girl; she was too weak to defend herself, even if she willed herself to fight, she would be easily defeated. As for Robin, he knew exactly how to decapacitate the teen wonder. All he needed to do was talk.

"Would you like to know the inner details of your beloved?" rumbled Slade, his voice confident and self-assured, each timbre ringing in Robin's ears.

"Perhaps you would like to see pictures?" he asked innocently and with a wave of his hand, the unnoticeable screens around them lit up, showing a menagerie of explicit photographs, showing Starfire in various forms of undress and pictures of pools of blood, her wounds out in the open and her lying in a tube full of green water. Starfire noticeably blanched, her eyes returning back to normal. The sunlight began to wear away, the clouds becoming too much for the sun. In the semi-darkness of forming rain clouds, the reflection of the pictures were in plain sight, manifesting everything Slade wanted them to see. Robin watched with dilated pupils, his mind drawing a blank of emotions, all except pure, undiluted fury.

"You sick son of a ----"

His limber body launched itself with no precaution toward the man who had been expecting it. It was always like this. He said a few things, gave him proof, and Robin would fly off the handle, making it incredibly easy for Slade to bring him down. He had expected this to happen once again, giving Ravager enough time to defeat the rest of the Titans who were nothing without their precious leader.

But he had mistaken Robin's anger this time. Suddenly, the boy's body switched positions and instead of going straight for Slade, who easily moved away, the Robin's body did a complete half turn in mid air and extended his leg to the side, hitting Slade's chest head on as he moved away. It sent him skidding back, his hand holding the offended spot right on his chest as Robin landed gracefully. He didn't stay in this position; instead, he sent off a couple of explosives, enough to send up a cloud of smoke into the air. With this moment of distraction he threw a meager punch at Slade who merely moved to his side and threw his leg upward. Robin took his leg and twisted himself sideways, hooking Slade's foot with his as his spine arched back to elbow his chest. With a single hand, Slade deflected this assault, managing to keep his balance as he brought the hooked leg upward, the attack getting too close to Robin's crotch for comfort. He pushed himself forward, extending his hands to catch his fall and swung his leg back as he fell, his heel connecting with Slade's chin. His head snapped back with the force but he shook himself off quickly, catching on to Robin's rhythm. His anger no longer fed his susceptibility but instead, it fed his skills and honed them to a greater level, a level Robin had come to demonstrate only with one other person, someone who he wanted very much to please.

Robin landed on his hands, using his legs to swing him to his back and arched his back to jump upward, landing on his feet like a cat.

"I am certain you will not be pleased to hear that I must keep your precious Starfire," Slade said easily, his mask pointed in her way, now standing with her friends and battling along side of them. She was staggering through the fight, getting her hits in with her natural strength but with the rain clouds becoming dense and the sun's light loosing its own battle, the little strength she had left was leaving her. But as a true Tamaranian, she urged herself on, creating a pile of robot parts as her fists connected and broke through the robots, sending them sprawling all over the place.

"You won't be able to," Robin said but he barely finished his sentence when he heard her anguished cry, her body convulsing as she fell to the floor, her body connecting painfully with the concrete. Robin's eyes glanced back to Slade as he waved his remote in front of him and Robin could see the malicious smile forming on his face. Slade was probably going to say something else, something just as malevolent as what he had done but with Starfire's cries, the pictures that loomed in on him, pictures of blood and abuse, Robin found himself not being able to take it anymore.

He felt his very body tremble with hatred, his blood boil with anger, and his brain officially shut off, leaving only a blinding white light. His body launched forward, his hands extended in front of him and aimed directly for Slade's chest. He deflected one, two, three, four consecutives strikes as Robin's body turned seamlessly after each hit was deflected only to catch Slade off guard when, instead of another hit, he crouched to the floor and swept his leg around, tripping Slade and bringing him down. Like a beast, Robin brought his arm across Slade's body mid-fall and pushed him forcefully onto the floor, adding more power to his fall. A fist closed around his uniform and brought him upward once more, only to have an arm swept across his neck and a fist connect with his mask, breaking it off completely.

Robin barely breathed. Though the mask had broken off, he did not see the man behind it. He could only see the symbol Slade created, the pain Slade had brought upon Starfire, and it made him blind. As Slade tumbled backwards, he forced himself to focus on deflecting the blows until he could find an opening. But Robin made sure he left none. With roundhouse kick that barely missed him, Robin repositioned himself to kick with the same leg in a backward arch, an unexpected move by his part. Slade felt the connections Robin made and one thing registered in his mind.

He needed help.

Sensing this, Ravager left the Titans behind, having the upper hand in that battle. She sailed across for her father, seeing him staggering in his position. The Titans soon realized what was happening; they were watching out of their peripheral vision the attacks Robin whipped out and they actually had to hold themselves back from staring, especially when an angry robot was causing such mayhem. Now, they did their best to lure Ravager away from Robin's personal fight, utilizing all the training their leader had forced upon them on those lazy, summer afternoons.

There was no sunlight anymore, only gray, pregnant clouds looming in the sky. Starfire lay in a heap on the floor, her body weak from fighting with no energy left inside her. Aided by the Titans, she hadn't taken as many blows as they had but with her damage, she could barely stand up at the moment, something the Titans thanked the heavens for. The girl could barely keep her balance, much less fight but there she was, relentless and trucking on. As they made their way toward Ravager, they turned their sights away from the images, still clear and still present around them. All of them were incredibly disconcerting, so intolerable because they couldn't tell if the open wounds were on her body or her brain. Pink and white substances dripped in the pictures, open wounds stood in display like horrific art…it made them nauseous.

But Robin kept the pictures in sight. And every time his eyes wandered to them, his fist would connect directly with Slade's chin, his lips and he could feel the skin breaking beneath _his_ skin, the teeth flying off his mouth, the moans the once god-like man made when the back of his leg was hit and his body was flung forward. Like a madman, Robin crouched on top of him, his fist steady as he punched the living daylight out of the man. It was with a fury unseen by anyone ever before, so much that the Titans stopped midway their fight with Ravager to stare. Blood spewed everywhere and the moans weren't coming form Slade anymore. Robin's eye mask was dripping with red, his uniform was invisible with all the liquid that splattered from Slade onto the young hero and what was worse, _Robin couldn't seem to stop_.

Starfire suddenly cried out his alias in anguish, dragging her body toward him. But Robin ignored her or rather, he didn't hear her. He didn't want to hear her. She continued to cry out his alias, pushing her self to her feet and wobbling toward the sight, her eyes moving back to the Titans to continue fighting. By then, Ravager had become hysterical. Her powers went insane, much like Starfire's did when she fought her sister in Tamaran. Raven, Beast boy and Cyborg could barely handle her themselves but they opted to keep trying. Their eyes said it all to Starfire when she looked upon them.

_Stop him._

Robin held the broken man by his neck, presenting an incredible amount of strength as he slammed his body into the ground, making it crumble from underneath him. Another series of violent punches followed as Robin's blood mixed with Slade's. It was, quite frankly, a terrifying sight. Starfire's whole body trembled as her eyes witnessed the man she loved trying to break Slade's face and was getting dangerously close to. Slade struggled under the pressure, showing a human emotion Slade had never before shown.

Pure fear.

Slade kicked and thrashed about, a deep guttural noise emerging from deep in his throat. White hair emerged from his scalp, his face was lined with age, and he had a patch over his right eye. And yet, Robin didn't notice the human underneath the idea of Slade. Starfire came within reach, her body trembling as she smelled metallic stench around them. She wanted to reach out, to stop him herself but she knew she couldn't. Not when she was so weak, not when he was so angry.

"Richard?" she said softly, her voice quivering with fear as her lower lip shook, "Please, Richard, you don't want to do this. You're not a killer."

He blatantly ignored her or perhaps he couldn't hear with the ringing in his ears. Nonetheless, he continued to disfigure the man brutally, his fist drawing up blood every time he raised it from the crevices of the man's face.

"Richard, listen to me---Richard…Richard!"

Nothing.

"You're killing him," Starfire shrieked, panicking at the monstrosity of it all. Her hands reached for his fist and she found herself being thrown forward by the force he extended. She landed a few inches in front of Slade, her body making a slapping noise with the ground. She raised heavy set eyes to his face where she found him heaving for air. He muttered her name, through the loudness of the battle behind him, and though his eyes were still unfocused, he jumped off Slade's body as if he had been burned. The man collapsed inertly beside Starfire who looked down upon their nemesis with frightened eyes. She pushed herself back from his body and looked upon Robin's face, splattered with blood and X'hal knows what else.

She wanted to say something. So did he.

But what?

They were spared those uncomfortable words as Slade moaned. Ravager had just spotted her father lying in a pool of his blood and her eyes narrowed at both Robin and Starfire. Her pupils were encased with cool, blue fire as her hands lit up and a cry cut through the heavy, water filled air. A thunderbolt slammed across the sky and the cavernous rumble followed a few seconds after.

"He was my father!" Ravager cried out, her voice anguished and sorrowful eyes leaked out rays of blue light, "He was all I had!"

And with that last cry, a bolt exploded out of her hand straight for the two Titans. Starfire's eyes widened and she beckoned her strength to aid her. For the first time in a long time, she felt the power of flight but not because of unbridled joy but out of pure terror. She grabbed Robin by the arm and pulled him along, her flight faltering as her power could give her no more. Her body traced the floor as they fell in a tumbling heap, collapsing onto the floor as another bolt whizzed by them. The rest of the Titans skidded to them and finally, the Teen Titans stood side by side against their last opponent.

Ravager stood with her legs wide apart in a jarring stance, her arms to her sides and her hands containing powerful bolts. Raven extended her right hand in front of her, a dark orb surrounding her hand as her other arm pulled back, ready to launch an attack. Cyborg's battery alarm was beeping on his arm but nevertheless, most of his arsenal was exposed and ready to fire with one single command. Beast boy stood in his fighting stance, still in human form but ready to change into whatever beast he needed to become. Robin stood with in a stance as well but though he seemed prepared to fight, one could tell that he was just the opposite. Starfire stood next to him, her stance, decrepit at best.

With a growl that was swallowed by another resounding boom of thunder, Ravager barraged herself onto the Titans, attacking them with such an animosity that the Titans could barely handle her. Cyborg was the fist to encounter, his fist connecting with her starbolted one. For a moment, the light shone brightly throughout the small, confined space and the second seemed to last hours. Finally, Cyborg was pushed back with a colossal force, sending him flying through half a dozen metal walls. Beast Boy and Raven attacked together as a team. Raven opened her long cloak to reveal a morphing Tyrannosaurus Rex as he wadded his way up to the robot. Ravager pulled her arm back and stood ready with a bolt in her hand, waiting for Beast Boy to get close. When he did, her bolt was released but instead of hitting the intended target, it hit a black wall, courtesy of Raven. The bolt was extinguished against the wall, making way for the T-rex's hard skull to slam against the robot. He shifted into a crocodile and shook the Ravager within his mortal grip, trying to rip her apart with an animalistic furor. Within the adamantine brace of Beast Boy's teeth, Ravager stood up, her arms extended upward to keep his mouth ajar. Grabbing him by his sharp open mouth, she turned him and catapulted him to the side and out of sight. Raven opened her arms and let the darkness sliver out of her, capturing Ravager with her shadows and gesticulating with her hands, she attempted to break the robot apart. They weren't sure if it was working but it gave Robin time to leap into the air and attach bombs close around the perimeter where Ravager stood captured. Once that was done, Raven found a beaten Cyborg and floated him near them so that she could corral them in her magic shield when the bombs went off.

As the bombs went off around them, they knew very well that Ravager would not be injured, especially since she now had Starfire's powers.

"What do we do next?" said Raven, voicing what was on everyone's mind. Robin shook his head, for the first time, he had no real plan. But this time, it was Starfire who knew what had to be done.

Ravager was more than a worthy adversary; she was the one who would annihilate them all. There was no force that could stop her--- her friends would die at her cold hands, their pain would be her enjoyment…Starfire couldn't bear the fact that, once again, their troubles were because of her. So now she _had _to find a way to stop Ravager, not just for the sake of her friends anymore but also, for the sake of the world. Ravager was her responsibility.

As a body emerged from the rubble, Starfire looked back toward Raven who stood ready to fight once more. Her gaze traveled to Cyborg as he tried to get up, aided by Beast Boy and then to Robin who, like always, was in stance. Her best friends.

"Ok guys, this is it. I have a couple of weapons left but if we attack her together, I'm sure we can beat her down long enough to escape…"

"No," whispered Starfire, her voice cracking with emotion—fear.

If there was one person who could defeat Ravager, it was Starfire. She had defeated herself once, in the form of her deceased sister, and she could do it again. Ravager was her responsibility, not the Titans' or even the world's. With Slade half dead, Ravager was the only blockade against total freedom of danger. Starfire's whole body manifested hostility but her mind was in another place. Through the clouded atmosphere within her mind, she reached for a specific person and oddly, Starfire found her quickly enough.

"Starfire?" a crepuscular aura called out, the familiarity of Raven becoming a blessing for Starfire.

"What's wrong?" she projected worriedly, a wave of green coming Starfire's way.

"I need you to keep your promise," Starfire said quickly, not wanting to waste more time, "You said you would protect out friends despite anything else, remember?"

"Yeah---" Raven said slowly, "Don't do anything stupid," she warned suddenly, quietly but Starfire could feel her panic.

"I need to keep your promise and get the team out."

That was it for Raven who let out a rippling undulation of purple waves around Starfire.

"Starfire---"

"You promised," she lamented, repeating, "You promised."

Raven felt torn beyond belief. The last thing she wanted to do was leave Starfire behind with that monster.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, trying to buy time and contact Robin. Maybe he could stop her.

"There is only one who can destroy her. The one who is part of her," she added, almost condescendingly, "And do not contact Robin, friend, my mind will not be changed."

Starfire appeared to Raven then, surrounded by a halo of light orange clouds, her hair whipping deliriously behind her.

"Please," she whispered and Raven could not deny her. She felt her body collapse with grief and pain as tears welled up in her eyes.

"And Robin?"

A pause. Starfire looked guilty, her eyes downcast.

"He will understand."

"No, he will not."

Starfire lowered her eyes.

"Goodbye, Raven."

The connection was officially cut off and Raven returned to her body, her eyes instantly going to Starfire who had already begun to run. Starfire's eyes began to burn brightly as did her hands, ready for battle.

The rain threatened to fall but it didn't. Instead, the rain clouds suffered through the stupor of confined water trapped within its embrace. With no sun to aid her, Starfire was a leap of faith as she ran forward, her injuries forgotten for the moment and she closed off the world around her. The cries behind her did not reach her but she did notice the familiar resounding din of Raven's powers as she protected the team with her shield.

"What are you doing?" Robin called out angrily toward Raven. He had been caught midway in trying to reach Starfire by Raven's powers. The world turned black and white as her shield came down upon them, making him slam against the wall. His angered face turned to her as she floated in the air, her face crestfallen.

"Rae?" asked Beast Boy, softer than Robin's but still with the same inquiry.

"She won't let us help," Raven murmured and a tear rolled down her eye.

Roaring, Robin turned his back on them and started to slam his fists against the black wall.

"Let me out!" he yelled loudly, his voice cracking with the effort. He took out a bo-staff and slammed it against the wall as well.

"Put the shield down, Raven!"

Cyborg stood up, still woozy from the hit but even he didn't know what to do. Beast boy seemed torn between trying to help Robin and talking to Raven. He knew Raven would not be doing this out of cruelty. Raven loved Star like a sister. Cyborg seemed to have chosen his angle and blasted his sonic cannon against the shield as well. Robin's eyes penetrated Starfire's back, to the point where Starfire knew she was being looked at as her green powered hand collided with Ravager's, as Cyborg's had done but Starfire was able to take the blow.

The lighting lit up her features, the snarling lip, the narrowed green eyes, the dried up blood coming from her temple. Sharp sounds came from their blows and Starfire's battle cries shook them in their very skin. Ravager flew into the air, a fistful of red locks in her hand. With a lunge, she sent Starfire flying down into the ground but she did not connect with it. Instead, she pushed off the floor and flew straight into Ravager, knocking her against the ceiling which collapsed against the blow. Fists ready and bolts lit up, the two continued their fight which became more violent as the moments passed. Starfire became nothing but anger and hatred, as she let the trainings of Okkara take over her. She took Ravager by her legs and pounded her against the machine which had taken her captive within its cold reaches. Her fist broke through Ravager's chest, leaving a gaping hole in the middle.

The rain refused to fall. Heavy, hurt looking clouds loomed over them, threatening them with the rainfall of the season but none came. The day was bleak to the fullest extent, the air heavy with the violence that was happening. Dismal and dispiriting, the day merely added to the apprehension the Titans felt as Raven began her chant.

"Don't do it!" Robin yelled, his voice hoarse, "Raven, don't!"

Her grim face showed no sign of stopping and for the first time, Robin considered attacking one of his teammates.

His eyes tore away from Raven, unable to look at her at the moment and looked for Starfire. In between the nebulas of smoke and dirt, Starfire stood with Ravager in her fist, levitating her off the ground. Severely damaged, Ravager was still awake but weak. She looked atrocious but she was nothing compared to Starfire who, as angered as she was, looked as if she was about to collapse any second. Her beautiful, heavenly green eyes narrowed at the robot but there was a moment when she looked back to the Titans, her eyes leaving any emotion of aversion and instead, took a softer tone. The Titans were worried, scared, just for her. She murmured her apologies, to everyone but especially to Raven who bore the weight on her shoulders. Her eyes traveled to Robin's but she wished she hadn't looked back. He ripped his mask off, letting it fall on the floor.

"It's not Robin asking you," he yelled at her, his voice booming through the chamber, "Don't do it, Kory!"

Her heart fell to her stomach and her knees trembled beneath her weight. She took a moment to look at him, his beautiful heavenly eyes before tearing her tear filled orbs away from his. She turned to look at Ravager who stood motionless underneath her closed fists, tired and beaten. Her skeleton was a sad sight but it was her face which gave it all away. Her eyes never left her father's prone body as her face lit up with a green luminosity. He would never get to see his revenge take place. And it was all because she had failed, as a daughter, a weapon…

Robin's echoing cry of Koriand'er's name was cut off as he was overcome by Raven's powers and disappeared from sight.

Ravager's lips uttered a single word as the heat coming from Starfire began to melt the remaining of her body.

And Starfire's thoughts stayed with one person as her body was overwhelmed by her own powers, her hair flying wildly around her face, each lock playing with each other within the green light. The intense heat began to break down the building but Starfire stood with Ravager in her hands, never letting her eyes leave Ravager's face. They both had failed somehow and so, they both would be each other's last sight, a mirror of what could have been. The green radiance overtook her body, starting from her stomach and traveled throughout her body.

This would be the end.

And with open eyes, Starfire detonated herself.

* * *

The Titans landed a few feet away from the site, just in time to feel the hot heat come from where they had just left. Wrapping them again in her shield, Raven took most of the heat from the explosion which triumphed over Robin's cry. The dust became a camouflage for everything that was near the dome. Trees became covered in soot, birds flew off in terror, and whatever wildlife had not been frightened off by the battles inside the dome were now dead or running away. When Raven couldn't take the blow anymore, she fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Beast Boy immediately went to her, cradling her head against his lap as his eyes focused on the green intensity of the blast. 

Staggering, Robin didn't wait a second longer and began to run toward the site, Cyborg alongside him. Beast Boy looked down upon Raven who opened her eyes to look up to him, sadly, gently. He smiled softly at her and she took immense comfort from it.

"You did what you had to do," he offered her. Raven nodded as sobs rattled her. He helped her up, holding her hand as they ran behind Robin and Cyborg.

What had once been a monumental dome now stood in pieces on the ground. The debris started from the moment they started running and stumbling over the chunks of metal, the incomplete Titans made their way toward Starfire, calling out her name is utmost distress.

Robin kept a vigil prayer in his head, his eyes tirelessly searching for her sweet face, her luscious curls, her strong body…

Hours could have passed, hell, even days. The clouds didn't let up their never ending need for rain and the lightning struck with as much fury as if it was raining. Nothing else mattered. They needed to find Starfire. Robin heedlessly searched, ignoring the stench of Slade's burnt body a couple of inches beside him. He was undoubtedly dead, burned to a crisp by Starfire's power and only parts of him remained. He continued his search for Starfire, his stomach churning at the sight of body parts strewn all over.

And then the cry came.

It was Beast Boy's howl that made his stomach drop and his brain to stop working. He ran through the rubble of the dome, stumbling over the burnt metal and scraping the little skin he had left on his body as he grazed himself on the staggered metal bars and rods sticking out of the ruins.

The sight that reached his eyes was something he would never in his life forget.

Beast Boy stood to the side, retching quietly into the ground. Raven hovered near by, her face purely agonized, unable to look at one place at a time. Cyborg skidded next to Robin, groaning in response when he spotted Starfire's body. Robin dropped to his knees, crawling to a destroyed Starfire. He took her head in his hands, ignoring Cyborg's warning against it, and held it in his lap, his vision becoming blurry as he looked down upon her. Her once beautiful crimson hair was no longer noticeable. Instead, it was completely covered in white dust, preventing any sign of her lucent hair through. Her body was in a abnormal position, her leg bent back awkwardly and her back mounted on a jagged piece of machinery, arching her upward as her arm was stuck beneath her. Her face was covered in dried blood mixed with fresh spurts of red rivers flowing from nameless places.

She was entirely broken.

"Kory—" muttered Robin, his blue eyes searching for signs of life on her face but it was Cyborg who answered him.

"She's alive…but just barely. Her heartbeat is incredibly feeble."

The soft beeping of his arm echoed through the rain heavy wind but his words brought a world of relief for Robin. Raven bent down upon Starfire, holding out her hands to search for an injury she could quickly heal. Her hands were shakinf incontrollably, her aura reaching out for Star's and she knew then that no matter what Cyborg's electronics said, Starfire was near death. She felt Beast boy's hand on top of her shoulder and she drew in a breath, instantly regretting it since a wave of sordid smells wafted through her nostrils.

Her eyes opened slightly, letting a soft light peek through her blood heavy eyelashes. Like the sun rising in the early morning, Robin was in awe to see her peering up at him. Her body began to shake in his arms, sending chills down his spine.

"S'ok," Robin murmured, "Raven's healing you—s'ok…."

Her cracked lips opened, gurgling something to him. He bent his head to her lips, tears welling up in his eyes as he heard the rattling of her body.

"Don't speak, baby," he continued, his voice becoming hoarser by the moment, his yelling finally catching up to him. She continued her tries but by now, Raven had begun to sob, letting her powers loose around her. The earth trembled as the wreckage began to rumble with dark powers. Beast Boy was by her side within minutes, trying to calm her.

"Robin," uttered Cyborg darkly but Robin did not need to hear him. The beeping on his arm told the whole story. Slowly, gently, it began to speed up as her body convulsed in his arms and the gurgling became louder, her lips opening gates of blood. She continued to try to speak, perhaps to call out his name, perhaps to tell him how much she loved him. He could not tell you because she never got the chance to say what she dearly wanted to say.

Her eyes slowly closed; her light going out right in front of their eyes.

The clouds lit with lightning, urging the rain to come but it never came.

* * *

That's all she wrote folks...or is it? Find out in the next chapter. 

Muahahahahahaahha cough cough ahem, MUAHAHHAHHAHAHH


	29. Chapter 29

Lol. You guys are funny. I just wanted to say that I **_did_ **plan to kill off Starfire but before I get hate mail..lol...I began to think that there are far worse things in life than death. One of them is to moving on which is why things will happen the way they will happen. On that note, you will have to have patience with me since my whole ending part of the story has been shot completely. I'm always doing this, changing things half way and it always causes me more trouble...

_Without you, the ground thaws_

_The rain falls_

_The grass grows_

_Without you, the seeds root_

_The flowers bloom_

_The children play_

_The stars gleam_

_The poets dream_

_The eagles fly._

_Without you._

_The earth turns_

_The fire burns_

_But I die and without you_

_Without you_

_The breeze warms_

_The girels smiles_

_The cloud moces_

_Without you_

_The tides ch ange_

_The boys run_

_The oceans crash_

_The crowds roar_

_The days soar_

_The babies cry._

_Without you_

_The moon glows_

_The river flows_

_But I die._

_And without you._

_The world revives_

_Colors renew_

_But I know blue_

_Only blue, lonely blue_

_Within me blue._

_Without you._

_Without you, the hand gropes._

_The ear hears, the pulse beats._

_Without you, the eyes gaze.\_

_The legs walk._

_The lungs breathe._

_The m ind turns._

_The heart years_

_The tears dry._

_Without you_

_Life goes on but I don't._

_Cause I die._

_Without you._

**---"Without you," Rent**

**

* * *

**_There had been many times when Robin would look back on those glorious days when the sun was still shining bright and the clouds were nowhere to be found and his hand would be clasped around another gentle hand, softly moving back and forth as they walked. There had always been time to reflect between the curses and the doubt and worry; he had filled himself up with so much, so many things and yet, it persisted to return. The memories that haunted him in the middle of his nights, haunted him with the most pleasurable memories his mind could possibly retrieve. Memories of downy like skin pressed against his, plump lips and wet trails, her giggles, her smell…the smell remained within the confinements of his pillow._

_He no longer slept on his bed. The sheets, the pillows---they hadn't been touched since Starfire was gone. Her absence had completely extinguished any need for daily activities in Robin's world. Eating became __antiquated__; the need for substance was not something his mind registered. He could have thrown Maslow's hierarchy of needs out the window and sent the psychological world in for a spin. For once, the most basic need was not food or substance…not with Robin. He needed something else to survive, someone to help him breath, help him—be._

_He had survived the first few days without her though they had been hell to go through. Everything reminded him of her smell, her touch, her laughter. HE couldn't step in his room without the need to see her strewn across his bed, an open manila folder by her hand, her eyes going back and forth through the boring subjects that lay within those sheets of paper. He would see her look up at him, her bored face suddenly melting into a real smile, as if she had hooks on the corners of her lips that gently pulled them upward. She never greeted him with a full blown smile. They were always slow, like she was watching the sunset for the first time. Her eyes, however, would spill over with happiness. Unlike others, people who he happened to see on the streets, perhaps, her happiness to see him was as real as it could get. It was so true that sometimes he wondered if she merely faked her cheerfulness, maybe to hide something or to not hurt his feelings. But the matter of fact was, there was nothing fake in the way she would say his name, her feminine timbre resounding in his ears._

_His room became officially off limits. The walls had heard too much, the bed had experiences too many emotions, the very air inside his room had absorbed everything about them. There were no longer nay navy blue curtains, courtesy of her. Instead, there were baby blue ones; the color she had told him reminded her of his eyes._

_"They let the light in as well," she added haughtily as she finished setting them on their frame. And for those reasons, his room was no longer hospitable._

_The hallways echoed his footsteps as he made his way to the Common Room, sprinting by the end, wanting to get away from it all but he found out that he couldn't. Her aura had infested the Common Room as well, leaving traces of her existence everywhere. Where the pots and pans lay, her atmosphere was there, washing the dishes, making the food, singing off key as she stirred the pot. The couch had held her slender body as she watched Beast Boy and Cyborg play on their game station, something that never failed to amuse her. Her CD collection was next to his, holding all kinds of weird music from around the world. There were a couple of Hindu CD's, each from one movie or another. There was another section full of Japanese pop, Japanese rock and even a little polka music in her mix CD's. The television was turned on, her favorite show blasting off the speakers. The Fairly oddparents were giggling and laughing at their own antics, something that had entertained Starfire to no end. She tended to go for the children's show, not because of their capacity of foolishness and what some consider stupidity but for the innocence they demonstrated. Starfire could easily relate but what truly appealed to her was how she could understand the jokes when they were punched. _

_Turning his back on the Common Room, he sprinted out of there, unable to reside in peace there as well. He knew he couldn't seek comfort in the training room. They had been part of many sparring matches together and she had shown her ability as a fighter, to the point where Robin had to extort his very best abilities to keep up with her. She was a challenge, something he hadn't tasted in a long time. He loved the way her sweat would roll down her chest, beckoning him to follow it to the intimate crevices her training bra hid. The appetizing scent she exuded from somewhere on her neck tantalized him, leaving him dumb-founded when she would come near, her face in pure concentration as she tried to attack back with a rounded kick or a whack of her hand. Her eyes would bloom with determination in front of his face and though he maintained his concentration as much as was humanly possible, the teenage side of the hero would take over and he would find himself in a—precarious position, usually on top of her, pinning her down and kissing her with the same ardor he had battle her with. She never shied away from his callous advances, not when she responded back the same way._

_The training room was definitely not the place to go._

_Robin eyed the elevator but shook his head as the idea entered his mind. The roof was the last place he wanted to step foot in. That was their place. He could yell at her there, tell her to stop being so stupid and stop putting herself in danger. He could take out his anger and frustrations at her with the minty cool air playing with his hair, let her hear all his troubles and worries about loosing her. He would rant about how he didn't know what in the hell he would do without her, that she was the only reason he was actually sane at the moment. His angry outburst would persist as the stars and moon looked wearily upon him, being as silent as Starfire and letting him vent all he wanted because in the end, he would take huge strides towards her direction and take her in his arms, her tender form pressed against his as he would nuzzle her head against his chest. His anger gone, spent, he could finally murmur the sweet nothings that Starfire knew were true. He never meant his harshness toward her, not entirely. He would get very angry when she did something brave or in his eyes, foolish. But Starfire was used to it. She would take his words in, letting them bound off her until he tired and let his inner feeling be revealed. He never showed that side to anybody and she felt honored he would to her. And Robin had no reason not to show her that private side of him. She accepted all of him, the good, the bad, and the very worst of his nature._

_Robin sighed loudly in frustration. He didn't want to go outside; Starfire had planted her alien plants in their backyard and they bloomed beautifully throughout the year. The library was full of her strange books, each in her language and telling yet another horrendous tale of her people and her goddess. She had touched every room, every crevice of the Tower and he couldn't escape. He rubbed his hands against his face abrasively, his muffled groaning becoming louder. She was imprinted everywhere, her voice, her footsteps. He couldn't get away from her._

_He needed to find her. He needed to get her back. He would go insane without her. His very sanity would be compromised…damn his sanity, he needed her!_

_Heavy eyes set upon the empty, vacuous hallway. He strode back to his room, praying he could look past the memories and look through his work, his efforts on finding Starfire renewed…_

…Her body was seeping abundant amounts of blood but she didn't cry out any longer. The only cries that rang into the air were his, shattered and defeated, hoarse and discordant but full of emotion. Throaty words fell out of his lips as his arms held Starfire's body close to him; the Titans behind him also wept with Robin, none of them able to hold themselves back. Raven had felt her aura die out within her own connection with her and she distinctly felt how the life seeped out of her, slowly, utterly painfully. Her very heart had stopped alongside Starfire's when her body no longer held the atmosphere of Starfire. The empty shell that was her body was not only unnerving to Raven, who was used to having Starfire's aura all over the place but also, it was a daunting burden Raven suddenly had to carry. They had all witnessed her die, Robin had even felt her go limp in his arms but Raven was the only one who died along with her.

Robin's tears flowed from swollen eyes and yet, out of the utter grief he felt, another feeling emerged with full force. Pure rage flew through him, the bitterness of loosing her igniting his very veins.

"Damn it," he choked out, his face covered in blood as he looked down upon her stilled face, "You fucking can't leave---" his body shook with madness as he growled out, "You can't go…"

He laid her back down unto the debris, watching as her head limped to the side, away from his gaze as if ashamed to be seen. He looked at her body, utterly destroyed and shattered, and he felt the nausea rise up his throat. He eyes roamed pointlessly, lost, his entire world gone awry. His eyes held no more tears, his voice could give him no more, and his body felt as if it was about to collapse any moment. And through this whole event, his emotions released themselves in a single, angered catharsis.

With a vehement cry that staggered through the heavy air, his fists rose into the air and he brought them down with unbelievable force, with rage and resentment upon Starfire's lifeless chest. The ground trembled with thunder as his fists connected with her bosom and her entire lifeless body ached upward, a sharp intake of breath cutting through her like a knife. Suddenly, Starfire started to hyperventilate, her body convulsing fervently as her lungs, her heart, her blood started flowing once more. The Titans, Robin included, were taken aback by the revival, standing back in pure shock. Robin's bloodshot eyes widened but his brain was the one who let him know:

_She's alive!_

And trembling terribly, in obvious pain and fright. He took her in his arms again, shielding her from whatever he could while Cyborg passed his arms throughout her body. Raven thanked Azar under her breath and asked Beast boy to help her get closer to Star, unable to move from the unfamiliar emotions running through her. Robin kept on whispering words, trying to calm her aroused body but his eyes never left her face. Her eyes were had opened as she revived but they had closed again, her eyeballs moving rapidly under her lids. Her cracked, chapped lips opened and began to moan, heartbreaking painful moans that tore him apart. He could only guess what she had gone through but he knew at that moment that he would never find out again.

He had her back and that was all that mattered. Discreet relief poured into him, his heart started beating once more and the dark veil over his eyes rose and blew away. Like a flower quenched in water, Robin continued to hold her. The Titans didn't need to ask him anything. They called S.T.A.R labs and told them to send a helicopter to the site, informing them of Starfire's injuries among other details. Robin took a small vile of morphine from his pocket and began to ready it, administering it to Starfire so she could calm down. He always carried necessary medicine with him, for cases such as this (though he would never in his life imagine such a scenario) and he was never more thankful for the medicine than at the very moment.

He slowly picked her up, feeling the jagged bones sticking out of her skin beneath his arm and he held back a gag. With the Titans behind him, he took Starfire in his arms, bridal style, and walked away from the wreckage, leaving all foul things behind.

The Titans walked past their dead nemesis, the stench of burnt skin wafting through them and his mask lay in a crisp beside him. His end had come in the most unexpected way but not even they wished such a death on their enemy. They left behind broken machine parts, a puff of white hair caught in the wind, a hand waving through the carnage, and the remains of a beautiful face whose eye slowly opened to reveal a single blue orb.

* * *

There had been a light, not as bright as some said it was but what it lacked in radiance, it made up in importance. Koriand'er knew this was the end for her life on Earth. She had ceased to exist; the pain was no longer there but then again, no real feelings were there anymore. She was apprehensive, yes, and perhaps a tad scared but she wasn't really thinking. The light called to her and mindlessly, she followed it wherever it took her. She was fine going along with it, nothing in her mind warned her against it. The pain was gone, her feelings were stoic, and she knew nothing else but to head toward the soft, nurturing light. It was so bright, so much that it reminded her of something else. Something heavenly. 

The light suddenly turned blue. Not just any shade of blue but a divine hue that warmth her very body, a body she could no longer feel. Who was she anyway?

"Kory…"

It was a very soft voice, very quiet but full of emotion. So much sadness on those syllables, so much sorrow, so much pain… She could imagine his azure eyes filled with misery.

Richard.

With his name, the light disappeared entirely and she was left in the dark. His voice became louder, more boisterous in trying to tell her something.

"You can't go…"

"Richard!" she called out desperately, her eyes searching for him. Feelings were returning to her, the memories of what had happened slowly seeped through to her.

And without a warning, a preposterous amount of pain hit her straight on, enough for her to choke with it. She felt her body once more, the ache running through her like wildfire, making her drown in her own cry. Her lungs filled with air and the calm feeling she had resided in collapsed around her. Robin's cries were muffled, as if he was far away but at the moment, she didn't care. Her body was on fire, her thoughts were everywhere, and she wanted nothing more than to rest and sleep.

Her eyes closed as her world went black. She would remain in this stasis for a long time. By the time she opened her eyes, her entire world had changed.

* * *

This was just a gateway to the next chapter which i hope will not be too confusing. And I'm sorry for not responding earlier IAmTheBattleMaiden but no, I did not make up the vibranium thing...its a common thing in the Marvel universe. 


	30. Chapter 30

Yay, we're getting ahead in the story. By the way, my favorite book is the second quote. Catcher in the Rye rox my sox even though Franny and Zooey (another book by Salinger) comes damn close.

* * *

_Forgive others often, yourself never. (Ignoscito saepe alter, nunquam tibi)_

**--- Publilius Syrus**

_Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody._

**--- Holden Caulfield, Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger**

_…then I noticed my shadow was crying too, shedding clear, sharp shadow tears…they're nothing like ordinary shadows. Nothing at all. They come here from some other distant world, especially for our hearts."_

**--- May Kasahara, Wind up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami

* * *

**

Her abrasive gasp of breath brought new life into her as her heart started beating once more and pain became her body. She had not thoughts of who she was, where she was, or even if she _was_. For all she knew, she could be the essence of everlasting pain, motioned to the world to live in forever lasting grief. Her mind floated aimlessly through the ache, her lungs screamed in anguish as air tried to get through, her battered body staggered to heal itself but couldn't since she had used the little sun power she had in her body to create such a powerful detonation that it leveled the radius around them. Starfire had died because her body simply did not have enough energy to go on living. Her heart had stopped pounding because of the lack of power inside her system. A powerful jolt was what sent the system running again and efficiently got her heart pounding once more. But the pain remained, symbiotically creating a home with her, and unwilling to let her get away from its clutches.

And then…

There was nothing for a long time. She seemed to be floating in the middle of a complete blank where she couldn't feel, see, hear anything at all. There were no thoughts and no dreams; indeed, it was a nadir of her existence. There was no time, no space, and she could have been in this stasis for hours or even years without her knowing. But she didn't mind. There was nothing to be worried about. After so much suffering, she was quite happy with this new development. With no worries and no troubles, Starfire remained in her unconsciousness for as long as she was given permission.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, consciousness slowly seeped into her again. She began to feel her fingertips and she could even motion them a little. She could feel her chest move up and down as she breathed in and out, each breath echoing within her head. Then muffled sounds reached her ears. There was always a soft beeping within her ears, never failing to lull her but sometimes she could hear a man's distorted voice. She remained in this stage for a long time to the point where she began to panic frantically inside her shell-like body. She felt the urge to speak, to tell them she was still alive under all the heavy mass she felt on her body.

Her heartbeat began to pound in her ears as well and she felt the blood flowing like a stream within her veins. She could wiggle her toes after a while and even though she could now feel her entire body, the efforts to be heard were killing her. She wanted to ask for her friends, to know what had happened to put her in this uncomfortable situation… Her eyes couldn't open yet but she had a distinct idea of where she was. Through the obstruction of her hearing, she could tell a man was often in her room, checking her pulse, her vitals, and speaking in terms she couldn't understand. She could also feel the pricking within her skin, something that alarmed her to no end. That's when she wished she could thrash about, let her body loose and defend herself from the small, painless prick her arm received every other day.

Then one day, as regular as they come, Starfire could feel her eyes slowly opening, her lids heavy with sleep and warmth. She blinked once, twice, and her nose picked up on the clean, distasteful smell of the hospital where she resided in. The first thing her eyes saw was a white ceiling, favored with small bumps that reminded her of the training room. Every time she trained there and was pushed back onto the floor in the middle of a sparring match with Robin, her eyes would open to see the white ceiling in anger before thrusting herself back into battle. Still looking at the hospital ceiling, she opened her mouth, feeling how dry her lips felt. Slowly, her tongue poked out and passed it over her lips, making a soft smacking sound in the otherwise quiet room. Her eyes traveled with her head as it moved to her right where the white curtains billowed against the winter air. The window had been left opened an inch or so, to counter the abundant heat the hospital radiator gave off and the curtains playfully fluttered against it. White clouds formed when the cold air hit the warm atmosphere in her hospital room. Heavy green eyes remained on the curtains, watching as it caught on the sun's rays through the white clouds that tried to hide the sun's radiance.

She registered everything around her but she didn't truly understand where she was or what had happened. She was in a hospital, yes, but this did not look like the infirmary in the Tower. There was no one with her and no sounds as well, except for the beeping of the machine next to her and the tick tock of the clock on the wall. She could tell it was cold outside and part of her told her that it was quite strange for it to be cold outside when they were in the middle of spring. She remained in that position for what seemed to be an eternity, barely blinking but aware of everything around her. Her gaze remained on the curtains, studying each crease and fold as they moved seamlessly into iself.

The door opened then and a man walked in, the same man she heard every day within her stupor. He shuffled some papers as he walked to her left side but it took him a moment to realize that his patient was awake. Immediately, he dropped the chart on the table beside her and walked to the other side, his eyes staring straight to her face.

"Miss Anders?" he asked her, his voice low and symphonic, "Can you hear me, Miss Anders?"

Starfire's eyes slowly, lazily roamed over to his.

"Do you know where you are?" he asked her patiently, his voice kind. She blinked indolently, hearing and understanding him but unable to compose an answer. He took her hand in his and told her to squeeze once for yes and twice for no. He repeated the question and Starfire briefly wondered how many squeezes she had to give for 'I don't know.' She gave him a single squeeze, muttering the word 'hospital' hoarsely but what she truly wanted to know was if she was still in Jump city. The young doctor leaned in to her to hear her answer and nodded in return. He took out a small flashlight from his pocket and opened her eyes, inspecting them each as he asked more questions. She succeeded in muttering her name and her age, each time grimacing as her dry lips moved with the movement.

Once he had checked her vitals, he walked around her and began checking the machines, his nimble fingers working hurriedly. But by then, Starfire began to hurt, her body aching as she tried to move her legs, her arms; her breathing became slightly labored as frustration set in. She wanted to sit up, she wanted to ask where her friends where but she couldn't. She let the doctor help her sip some water, her lips greedily absorbing the substance. Yet, the small effort took a lot of energy out of her and she collapsed back against the bed. She felt her eyes close once more but she fought it. She no longer wanted to sleep; she wanted to remain in this world.

The door suddenly opened and her ears perked up. Framed by the doorway, a tall cybernetic man stood with a large smile on his face.

"Star!"

Her heart leaped for joy at the sight of her friend as he took long strides to get to her quickly enough. She whispered his name, her vision blurring with happy tears as he took her hand in his, caressing her softly.

"She just woke up," the young, handsome doctor told Cyborg, "Victor, this is incredible. She shouldn't be awake so fast, not when her energy level was so low, almost non-existent."

Cyborg took a look at the doctor with hooded eyes, betraying the excitement Starfire thought he had for her. Then he looked back down at her, his expression gentle and compassionate.

"You feelin' ok, shorty?"

Starfire nodded carefully, glad to hear him say her nickname once more. He continued to talk with her doctor but she stopped listening. Instead, she took a good long look at Cyborg, or Victor as the doctor called him. His cybernetic form was hidden within the regular jeans and a simple t-shirt he wore along with a long chain around his neck. He did not look like the person she remembered except for the perpetually kind face he had. Starfire had never seen him look so normal and it was rather strange in her eyes.

"Did you hear that?" he asked her kindly, "Continue this way and you'll be out in a couple."

She smiled at him, wanting to ask a couple of what but she felt tired. She started to sit up, her energy returning to her gradually. Instead of pushing her back, Victor helped her sit, telling the doctor not to worry.

"She's not your average patient," he told him, as he adjusted the pillows behind Starfire.

"Victor?" she asked, earning a strange look from him. She was sure none of the Titans had called him by his name before.

"Yes, _Kori_?" he said with a smile on his face.

"How'd you know---"

He chuckled, squeezing her hand softly.

"The docs needed to know a couple of things about you but since you are still an illegal alien on this planet and your papers are processing---am I boring you with this?"

Starfire smiled pleasantly, shaking her head slightly, in fear that if she made too much movement, her head would start pounding.

"Well," he continued, "Robin was the one who told them your name but I think they misspelled it or something. They split it into two: Kori Anders."

"Close enough," she said with a head tilt but at the sound of Robin's name, her smile faltered. He noticed her gaze moved toward the window and he looked back at her with cautiousness.

"How long have I been out?" she asked quietly, her voice raspy from being unused for X'hal knows how long. Inside, she dreaded the answer and regret asking it the moment she saw his eyes.

"About six months."

Her heart stopped noticeably since she was still attached to the machines. The doctor intercepted quickly.

"I think all of this is too soon, Victor. Let her rest---"

"She has a right to know," he answered him, his eyes never leaving Kori's whose were wide in shock.

"Where am I?" she continued, her voice cracking through her sentence.

"In S.T.A.R. Labs hospital in Central City," he answered, sitting beside her and taking her hand in his once more, "Listen, a lot has changed since you've been in a coma. Do you remember what happened?"

Starfire frowned, straining her mind to search for the memories. The first thing she remembered was the smell, the stench of burnt skin and metal. Then the pain came, the sadness, the anger. She heard Robin's yells throughout her head, echoing the hurt they both felt after meeting each other after so long.

"I do remember the fight between---" she paused, panting slightly as panic eased through her, "I died, didn't I?"

Victor nodded grimly, his face instantly falling as he remembered. It had happened half a year ago but to the Titans, it always felt like yesterday.

"The doctors didn't know how to deal with a Tamaranian. They still don't but their educated guess was that you completely ran out of solar energy which is why your body collapsed. You died in the mechanical sense of the word."

Stifling a grimace, Starfire nodded, comprehending the vague explanation he gave her. She was far more intricate than that but _she_ didn't know exactly how she worked. That pleasure was in the hands of the Gordanians and now, in the hand of their dead nemesis. Suddenly, her eyes rose toward Victor.

"Where are the Titans?"

Victor's face fell suddenly and even the young doctor cleared his throat at the question.

"Victor, truly, you don't need to tell her all of this just now. She's still very weak and as her doctor---"

"Yeah, yeah," Victor mumbled, patting Starfire's hands comfortably, "Listen, darlin,' I'll tell you everything that's happened but for now, you need to rest."

"Victor, no!" she exclaimed forcefully, her throat exploding with pain and her eyes watered. Victor muttered soothing words to calm her and promised he would tell her everything after she took a small nap. Kori began to argue but she knew Victor would put his foot down. She nodded, almost angrily and accepted his conditions.

"You will be here when I awake?" she asked childishly, her frightened eyes reaching for his. He smiled broadly and nodded, helping her get comfortable in the bed. The doctor injected a substance in one of the tubes she had attached to her arm and Starfire watched do it with frightened eyes. With Victor beside her, she felt the dread ease within her but she had been forever conditioned with this fear. The instant the medicine hit her bloodstream, she felt her eyes get heavy and her conscious leave her. The last thing she saw was the waves from her heart monitor, the beeping slowing down until they ceased to exist.

* * *

Though Victor had promised to be there when she awoke, she found herself to be alone in the hospital room when her eyes opened once more. She could tell that he had been there, though, for three magazines lay open on the couch and two coffee cups resided next to them. He had probably left for a moment, perhaps to use the bathroom. Calmly, Starfire lay back in her bed, breathing thoroughly as Raven had once taught her. She would find out the answers to her questions in a couple of minutes but she wanted to be as relaxed as possible. She briefly wondered where her friends were but she shook her head of the thought. Like she said before, she would find out in a few moments. In order to pass the time, she turned on the small television set on the ceiling of her room. The comforting noise from the shows pacified her; she was too used to having their large television set in the Common Room always blasting at high volumes, even when all they were watching were commercials. She longed to be back at the Tower, to be able to see Cyborg and Beast Boy play on the game station once more, to see Robin working on the computer while Raven meditated by the corner. She yearned for the Tower's safety; no matter how many times it had been attacked, it always stood erect, its shadow granting both the city and the Titans protection from whatever may come.

Out of her wishful thinking, she heard something that made her snap out of her reverie. She turned back the channel to the last program which happened to be one of those Oprah-like shows. A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes spoke about the Golden Times (that was the name of the segment). An honorable mention was being shown at the moment.

"The only reason why this is on the Honorable mention is because I still have hope they will see their mistake and join together again to become the legion of superheroes Jump City adored."

And then the screen was blasted with video from the Titans' battles. Cinderblock, Plasmus, Dr. Light, Mad Mod---they were all shown getting their butts whooped by the Titans. Starfire watched with wide, confused eyes as the words rolled after every couple of shots, revealing just how much the Titans were missed and everything they had done for the city.

"Because of them, Jump City has become _the_ safest city in the United States," she said, nodding as her audience applauded the comment, "We just wish they would see the error in their choice and become the Titans once more---"

She turned off the television, her heart rate speeding as she tried to catch her breath. _Had the Titans split?_

"Hey, darlin' how---Star?"

With long strides, Victor reached Starfire quickly and held her hand, a concerned look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

She turned to look at him with watery eyes, the sensation of lubrication against her dry eyes burning her.

"Victor, have the Titans separated?"

His eyebrows came together in a frown, looking at her suspiciously.

"Who told you?"

Starfire breathed out heavily, her fears confirmed. She shakily pointed at the television which made Victor groan softly.

"I was going to tell you but I guess the good old TV set got ahead of me, huh?"

Starfire waved away his good humor and demanded to know exactly what had happened.

"Why have the Titans separated? I do not understand…I told you about the future---"

"Hey now, just because there's no more Titans doesn't mean we broke off our ties," he smiled at her, winking, "We heard you when you told us about the future, believe me."

He counted off each Titan with his fingers as he sat comfortably beside her.

"B.B.'s in Africa with the Doom Patrol. They needed the help to defeat the Brotherhood and who better to come to the rescue than B.B.," he smiled at her, "He calls every weekend, whether it's to talk about his missions or to hear me brag about another well beaten game of Duel Space Monkeys version 6.24." His eyes crinkled as he smiled throughout his explanation but then his smiled sobered as he counted off the next person, the crinkles disappearing.

"Raven went back to Azarath. Her powers began---short circuiting after we returned. She returned to Azarath to get them back in control and just in case Trigon got the bright idea of using her while she was so weak," another finger shot out, "She teleports back to this dimension as much as she can but truth of the matter is that I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks."

After a moment of seriousness, his smile returned to full force.

"I've been leading the Titans East for a couple of months now."

Even though she had kept her mouth shut throughout his speech out of pure worry, she couldn't help express her joy for him.

"How wonderful, Victor, I have always thought you would make an incredible leader."

"Well," Victor spluttered sheepishly, "you know how it is…"

Starfire smiled, faltering a little when they got down to the last person. His smile had also disappeared and he looked at her straight in the eyes when he spoke.

"And Robin, well, Robin's in Gotham. He's gone back with the Bat. He checks in but for seconds at a time. It's like to tell us he's still alive, you know."

Finishing his explanation, he let Starfire process the information. There were no more Titans, her friends were scattered all over the world, and she was feeble and bed-ridden for X'hal knows how long. On top of that, Robin had gone back with the person he had tried to escape most of his teenage years.

"That is all?" she asked, semi scared of his answer, "There is nothing more you wish to tell me?"

He shook his head, looking at her thoughtfully. He could see the shock in her face, the disbelieve she wore like a mask on her. Being unconscious for half a year had to be hard enough but add the fact that the Titans had officially broken up had to be worse.

"I've told all the Titans about your recoveries," he said to lighten her up, inwardly thinking about the small lie he told her. The fact was, _almost _all the Titans had been informed about her recovery. When Victor had tried to contact Robin, he hadn't answered his communicator. He rarely answered the communicator nowadays. He then opted to call via bat-wave, not a difficult task but one made with the utmost apprehension. Needless to say that Batman had answered and informed him, rather curtly, that Robin was not in the vicinity. Successfully blown off, Cyborg had not tried to contact him again.

"They all send their best wishes and desperately want to talk to you."

Starfire smiled, a small rather weak smile but a smile nonetheless.

"Has Robin come to see me?" she asked, mainly because he was the only (apart from Cyborg, of course) close enough to Central City come visit her.

"Uhh—" Cyborg droned, "well, there's a lot of trouble in Gotham and you know how Rob gets…"

"Yes, I do know how he gets," responded Starfire, her face crestfallen, "but he hasn't come once?"

Victor's face said it all.

"Not in six months?" she asked with a tinge of desperation in her voice.

"Well, the first couple of months he was at your side all the time but when Bats called him to Gotham, he kinda stopped coming."

She wished for nothing but sleep once again. Her eyes fell to her lap, tears forming in her eyes but she did not let them fall. Hurt was not the word she felt at the moment. Betrayed, upset, offended, miserable were more like it.

Her eyes looked up once again, free of tears and a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"Where is my precious Silkie? I have yearned to see him as well."

It was then that Cyborg's eyes widened and looked away, unable to tell her what had happened. He could feel her heart break as she guessed what could have happened to her pet for Cyborg to act this way.

"Victor?" she asked, her voice trembling violently.

"You see, Star," he started shakily, looking away the whole time, "When Ravager attacked us, we had to think of a way to earn some time so we led her back to the Tower. We trapped her there and—" he sighed, the words refusing to come out comprehensively but after a few tries I finally did, in a stumble, "The Tower was destroyed with everything in it, including---"

He didn't finish. Her sob trembled through the hospital as huge, crocodile tears fell down her face. She cried quietly in her hands, her heart breaking into a million pieces to find out that her precious Bongorf had died in such a horrible way, alone and forgotten. After six months of stasis, crying hurt more than she could bear but her body was giving her the only way out of her incredible grief. Tears snailed their way through her fingers which were smashed against her face to drown out the utter grief she felt. She had yet to figure out another realization.

She had no home to go back to.

Victor stood quiet for as long as Starfire cried, offering her his sentiments and apologizing profusely. She didn't say anything as she wept but a part of her wished Victor would leave and let her grieve all she wanted. She didn't tell him this, not when he had been so sweet and caring throughout the whole ordeal and within minutes she forced herself to calm down.

"I'm so sorry, Star…"

She waved his apology away, brushing the back of her hand against her cheek to wipe away the tears. She looked so incredibly sad, so forlorn with the news that Victor wished he could do something for her. But it was absurd to think that the Titans hadn't thought of Silkie even though he was their family pet. It was only when Beast Boy turned into a large worm to scare Cyborg during a prank (one of the last ones Beast Boy laid on his friend before he left) that the Titans realized Silkie was no more.

He wished she would stop crying. There had to be something he could…A light bulb turned on in his head and he smiled at her, taking her small hand in his obscenely large one.

"Hey, you wanna speak to Robin?"

Penetrating green eyes turned upward, looking at Victor with hope.

"Can I?"

"Yeah! Come on, I'll sneak you out of the room."

He added a lot of exaggerated movements as he helped her 'escape', making her laugh quietly at his antics, relieved that some things in life don't change. He took her into a small, gray room with a huge screen mounted on one wall and its computer connected to the other wall. It was a small space, intimate enough to have a serious conversation. Helping her sit down, Victor began typing codes and messages into the computer, the signal reaching out for Gotham city. She watched through fascinated eyes by the corner as the technology reached the Batcave, temporarily taking her mind off her dead pet. She began to get nervous as the signal began to beep, signaling the connection. She had heard of the Batman from her friends and mostly from Robin but she had always felt intimidated by his very name. Cyborg seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"The Bat ain't so bad if you don't take heed to every word he says," he told her wisely, smiling at her, "let's hope Rob's there---"

Batman's hooded face appeared on the huge screen, making Starfire sit back, intimidated, against the comfortable chair and roll it to the shadows of the room. In the background, she could see the indentations of the cave but it was so dark, she had to strain and guess what her eyes were seeing. She could hear the minute squeaking of the bats on the background and she thought she saw the shadow of a huge dinosaur but she couldn't be quite sure. Starfire suddenly took notice of her wardrobe, a white hospital gown that stopped at her knees, revealing her bare legs. Her hair was probably a huge mess and her face must be so awful at the moment…

"You want to speak to Robin."

Cyborg shut his open mouth, cut off even before he spoke and nodded, looking straight up at the looming image of Batman. His hooded eyes narrowed when they landed on Starfire who was hidden by the shadows in the communication room. She was shocked at the uncanny similarity between him and Robin. While Robin had a strong but well defined chin, Batman had a jaw made out of rock, as if sculpted just for him or so, it seemed to her. Their eyes narrowed the same way, penetrating into her very skin. There was something about his masked face that sent a shiver down her spine, like he knew everything there was about her, all the things she had done and all the lives she had claimed. He left the camera's view to call Robin, muttering to him something about not using the Batwave as a personal telephone.

"Yeah, yeah," Starfire heard Robin murmur tiredly, "Let me hand out the number to everyone I meet on the street…"

She imagined him to be the same. Masked eyes that hid angelic eyes, the lopsided grin, the kind words he spoke to her when she was hurt or down. Maybe he would leave immediately and come to see her, to hug her, kiss her, and give her the comfort she needed. She knew that when he would surround her in his strong arms and his scent would wash over her, everything would be ok because he would help it be ok.

His body turned and faced the camera, pushing the chair where Batman had previously been sitting in and pulling his chair into view. He sat down with a puff and lifted his eyes.

"Hey, Cy, what's up?"

Victor smiled.

"I gotta surprise for ya."

A small smile appeared on Robin's face but it quickly faded as Starfire came into view. He breathed her name out, and forgetting to breathe, he stared at her like he had never seen her before. He was unable to say anything else at the moment. Starfire barely registered the door shutting as Victor made his way out of the room, leaving her alone with Robin.

"How are you?" he asked, kicking himself mentally for being so stupid. How else could she be at the moment?  
"I am quite healthy," she assured him, "Just a few scratches and bruises."

He nodded, feeling completely at loss over what to say. It didn't help that Batman was still in the cave.

"I have discovered that the Titans have split," she announced to him, her mouth going dry at the moment, "Have you been all right?"

"Yeah," he answered her, too quickly for her to believe him, "Everything's fine on my end. Just working—" he chuckled bitterly at that, "What else is new, huh?"

She gave him a small smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I have also found out that the Tower has been destroyed—"

His heart fell when she said this, his thoughts going immediately to her pet.

"Then you know about---"

She nodded quickly, not wanting to hear it again. Her eyes had already overflowed with tears.

"I'm _so _sorry about Silkie, I wasn't even…"

"May we please not speak of it?" she asked heartbrokenly. Robin nodded ferociously, his saddened face turning slightly to look at Batman out of his peripheral vision. His back was to him but Robin knew he was listening to every word.

"Will you come visit me?" she asked, making him turn his attention back to her.

"Of course," he answered confidently, "When there's not too much work, I'll drop by."

That had not been the answer she had been expecting. Actually, she had been expecting him to be there the moment she awoke. Then again, she had expected the Titans to be together then too. Was he not worried about how she was faring?

"You are sure you are all right?" she asked him again, the preoccupation evident in her voice.

Robin chuckled darkly, not at all the chuckle she remembered.

"I should be asking you that," he said with a raised eyebrow. There was a pause, long and uncomfortable. It had never been this hard to talk to Robin before. She heard the noise in the background fill the empty air around them and she wondered why Robin wasn't rushing to see her.

"Listen," he said, cutting into her thoughts, "I—uh—ahem—I gotta go but I'll call you when I can, ok?"

Starfire nodded numbly, her images of Richard having been completely shot off. Robin sent a glance to his mentor and slowly traced it back to Starfire, offering her an apologetic expression.

"I'm glad you're doing ok," he said sincerely, an echo of whom Starfire had been expecting. She nodded meekly, still taken aback by his demeanor. He looked older, predominantly physically but also, the way his body language gave way to something else, like a secret or something he didn't want to share. It was quite different than from what Starfire usually came to expect from Robin.

"Bye," she said softly and she knew that by the way he looked at her, something in him was not the same. Maybe he hadn't changed completely but whatever _it _was, it had evolved into something else. Starfire didn't know at the moment but she hoped that whatever it was, she would be there by his side to get him through it.

* * *

She spent some time at the hospital, recovering at such a speed that the doctors were left dumbfounded. She took in the sun's energy every day, mostly in the morning since its rays were not the harshest at that time but doing it this way she would take longer to completely heal. She didn't mind, though. She was well enough to be discharged in a couple of days which made her extremely giddy. The smell of hospital had stuck to her, a smell that wanted to smell like something so desperately but could never get there. The hours seemed to pass slowly in her room; the minute hand on the clock would tick by languorously, like it had nothing better to do than take its time passing one second. She passed her time watching the TV on her room's ceiling but after the Oprah-like show she watched, every channel gave _something_ about the Titans.

"Well, Nelly, I have always thought that the Titans were something like the Justice League but they would never go as far as the JS would. Guess we'll never know now."

"You're right, Pat," said the woman next to her, her curly blonde hair in a ponytail as her young eyes looked out into the captive audience, "But I always hoped romance would blossom between two specific Titans."

The audience clapped and cheered at the comment and it only added fuel to the fire the four women were stirring up, all of them looking cheeky at the comment. Sitting around in a table and doing nothing better than to gossip, the women continued to tell tales of what should have been, what could have happened, and what would have been the greatest team of heroes of all times.

Starfire flipped the channel, annoyed to the say the least.

A woman appeared, her suit matching her curves perfectly as she began to speak about the rising economy.

"The stats have been high recently and one can only pinpoint it to one source and that is, of course, the cost of repairs our heroes land on us. Now, most of the superheroes pay it off with their own money but let me tell you, Nathan, the rates at which these costs are rising are astounding. If there is one thing cities such as Jump are glad for, is that their rates have lowered significantly since the Titans split."

The news reporter named Nathan appeared on camera, a small frown in his otherwise friendly face.

"Yes, but--- they have saved the city several times and even made it the safest city on U.S. soil."

The woman gave a small nod, as if to appease him but continued to comment on the city's financial situation. Ready to throw the remote at the television, Starfire clenched her teeth and changed the channel.

"---save now and get this free Beast Boy plushie with your purchase of an 'almost adolescent' meal here at the King of Burger, Le Rey du Burger!"

"—the small earthquake that caused the collapse was unpreventable. If only someone had been there to prevent it, perhaps---"

"---makers of Azarath, we present to you, Zinthos---"

"Boo-ya! Energy drink—"

Starfire gave a frustrated groan and turned the television off angrily. She had half a mind to throw the remote against the wall but she controlled herself. She didn't need them to remind her of what seemed to be 'the good ol' days' even though it had only been half a year. Besides, Starfire felt half responsible for the split. She was sure, if she had been there, the Titans wouldn't have given up so easily. She would have personally seen to that.

Cyborg visited her often but on those long hours where she did nothing, her mind wandered to the day of the battle. Her first memories were of those rain clouds closing in on her fate, the way they loomed overhead like death incarnate. The sun gave up on its quest for light quickly, not caring about those who so desperately needed its radiance. It let itself be overcome by the clouds without a second thought. Then the smells came, so damn familiar to the smells on Tamaran. The revolting smell of burnt skin, burnt metal, of destruction and of death. Smells that would haunt her for her life, undeniably stuck in her nose to remind her of the crimes she had committed. She had killed her sister and had now killed her arch nemesis. Two lives gone because of her, because of her decisions, her mistakes. She couldn't bear to look at herself in the mirror in the bathroom, choosing to pass by it without a glance. Her short hair had grown before she had been captured by Slade but with the explosion she had caused, it had been burned to a crisp once more. Now barely reaching her shoulders, she sighed at the vanity she had for herself even at these times. She longed for her long hair once more, the way it made feel beautiful, Tamaranian. Robin had liked it as well. Her face was marked with small scars and bruises which the doctors said would disappear with time. She was very thankful for that; again, her vanity returning. Each day was a struggle to remain the same. To smile at the doctors, to make polite conversation, to be the same Starfire she had been before but it seemed time was not gentle on her. Time made her grow, made her harder, gave her bruises and scars for her to look upon and say, 'this is who I am now.'

This is who I am now.

Not Starfire the Titan because there were no more Titans.

Not Starfire the Tamaranian princess because she had given up the title.

Not Starfire the naïve, alien girl because with all she had done and all she had seen, she was neither naïve nor innocent.

_So what was she?

* * *

_

"The doctors are out there talking about it," Victor said kindly, holding her hand. She was sitting at the edge of the hospital bed, regular clothes and some letters from her friends on her lap and a hopeful look on her face.

"I hope they give me the ok," said Starfire longingly, letting a small sigh escaped her lips.

"Don't like the hospital food, huh?" asked Victor teasingly. He wore a black t-shirt with cobalt jeans, the same necklace around his neck and a nice Yankee hat on his head.

"Among other things," Starfire mumbled, things like the smell, the atmosphere, the walls, the very building…

"Don't worry, darlin', I'm sure they'll give you the ok."

Nodding, Starfire looked down to her lap. Her friend's cards lay neatly in her lap but she had read them voluptuously, with a hunger that came from not hearing from them for a long time. They all had the same sentiments, to get well soon, how much they missed her, and how they were doing. Beast boy's letter went something like:

_Hey, Star!_

_Dude, I am SOOOO happy you're ok. We all knew you were going to be all right but we learned from the Boy Blunder to be paranoid, you know. I'm over here in Africa with the Doom Patrol (or how you like to say it, the Patrol of Doom) but before you catch an anxiety attack, don't worry, I'm doing ok. It's hard, harder than before to keep up with them and their expectations but you know what, I'm enjoying it. Raven says it's because I'm finally growing up to the _resemblance_ of adulthood. You know how she is. Just in case she didn't tell you, we broke up some time ago but it wasn't on bad terms or anything. We didn't fight or tried to fry each other or nothing like that. It was just one of those things that happen… anyway, I'm really happy you're fine. I was afraid there would be no one else who would laugh at my jokes, especially since I got some new ones. Dude, these African tribes are HILARIOUS though you kinda have to live here for a couple of months to get the jokes— still, I'll be sure to tell them to you!_

_Hope to see you again soon, Star._

_All my love,_

_Garfield._

Raven's letter had been somewhat the same but piled with things that Starfire needed to hear.

_Star,_

_I just thought you'd like to know that I did go visit you as often as I could until I was prevented by my powers. Don't panic or anything, my powers are a little haywire, that's all. As soon as I can, I'll go visit again. _

_Now, I know you better than you think and I know you blame yourself for what happened. Like always, the weight of the world is on your shoulders (you should really stop hanging out with Robin so much if he's going to rub off you) but I just wanted you to know that anyone else would have done the same. If I was in your position, I would have done it too. Everyone hated me afterwards, something I had never felt from the Titans before, especially from Robin. We still haven't patched things up but everyone else seems to have understood. _

_Azarath is just as beautiful as when I left it. When you get better, maybe you can come visit. It's really helping out with this inner demon crap but sometimes I fear it's too much for even this dimension. Knowing you're better helps though. I don't know if you've heard that me and Gar broke it off—it was a mutual decision. Long distance relationships are one thing but when he's in Africa fighting the Brotherhood and I'm in another dimension fighting inner demons, then 'long distance relationship' doesn't exactly cover it. It hurt, mainly because I had never felt _anything_ before but you know something, Star—it felt good to hurt. It made me feel alive. Especially since I know I'm hurting because I care for him and vice versa._

_Ugh, I sound all mushy like your boyfriend._

_Is he your boyfriend now?_

_I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyway, keep getting well and may Azar be with you._

_Raven_

Needless to say, the letters had brought tears into her eyes and a bright, authentic grin to her face. The letters were in their envelopes, neatly sitting on top of her clothes, keeping her spirits up.

"It's been a week and a half, Victor, they have to let me go."

Victor shrugged, his movement expressing his own apprehension about it. Starfire looked outside, the sun glinting off the windows. For the middle of winter, the weather was unbelievably nice today. There were almost no clouds and the sun was free to shine all it wanted. The temperature would reach sixty but with the sunlight, it would feel more than sixty. Starfire had awoken early that day to bask in the light, her body hungrily absorbing the nourishment it had been denied for so long. The scars that indicated what had happened at Slade's hideout were long gone but the battle scars remained. She hoped more days like this would happen so she could heal quicker and try to start to forget the last couple of months.

She didn't miss the irony of it all. This last year had been astonishingly great and at the same time, it had been devastating. Both ends of the spectrum had been reached. Robin had made sure her days passed with as much sweetness and happiness as was humanly possible and it was those memories that helped her fall asleep at night. The warm embrace, the kind smiles, his mind blowing kisses, his caresses, the way his face looked in the heat of the moment… and at the same time, so much devastation had befallen her. The death of her sister had impacted her in ways she hadn't even felt yet; only to have been captured and violated once more by Slade. She had enough traumas to last her a lifetime. And all of it had happened at the same time. She had felt joy and anguish simultaneously.

She wished it hadn't been like that.

The door opened and the doctor came in, a grumpy look on his face. Starfire smiled, knowing very well what it meant.

"Miss Anders, you may change into your civilian clothes.'

With a squeal that ripped through her throat, Starfire jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom, amidst Victor's chuckles. He began to talk to the doctor but through the door, Starfire only heard the muffled sounds. She didn't care though. All she cared about was that she was getting out of here. Donning on her jeans and her lavender sweater, she brushed her hair as neatly as possible and for once, she looked at herself in the mirror without flinching. She looked _nothing_ like Starfire. Her hair was deliriously short, her face pale and skinny as was her body. Her frail frame was not the Starfire everyone was used to. Still, the color was slowly returning and if she continued to take care of herself, she would be back in health in no time.

Then a thought hit her. She had been so happy to get out of the hospital but she didn't know where she would go. Titans' Tower was no more; that had been her home. Her stomach fell and a nauseous feeling overwhelmed her. She didn't wish to go back to the Titans' East Tower, not when the name itself brought back so many memories. Her heart began to race and her hands became all sweaty. She reached for the doorknob, feeling it slip between her sweaty palms. She breathed out, the rattling of the doorknob not helping her anxiety but she managed to grasp it firmly and turned it. She exited the bathroom, her green eyes nervously looking at Victor.

"Victor, where will I _go_?" she asked in a heartbreaking voice, a frown steady on her face.

"Where else?" a voice wafted through the opening door and a man in dark shades walked in, his jet black hair held in a small ponytail behind the nape of his hair and a sweet, mocking smile on his lips.

"You're coming home with me."

Starfire's mouth hung open and for a moment, her mind going into a blank. Then a squeal emerged from her throat, a smile forming on her lips. She lunged herself at the man who caught her in his open arms and spun her gently.

"Hey, Kori," he grinned lopsidedly at her.

"Hello, Richard," she whispered and buried her face in his neck, feeling his strong arms wrap around her.

She was home.

* * *

Next chapter-- we go to Wayne Mansion. ayayyayaay


	31. Chapter 31

I think that describing Gotham will kick as much butt as describing Tamaran!

* * *

**'Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.'**

_-- Comte De Bussy-Rabutin_

"I've talked it over with Vic and he agreed that being in Gotham would be the best thing for you. Bruce didn't put any resistance either."

His voice was music to her ears. It was him. Richard.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would appreciate being left alone while the Titans and I go kick some ass," said Victor amicably, "You're still too fragile to get back on the horse."

Tearing away her eyes from Richard, her confused gaze met Victor's.

"I have never ridden a horse before so how will I get back on it?"

Victor paused for a second, as if not understanding her and then guffawed heartily.

"I sure missed having you around, Star."

Starfire smiled back at him, unsure of his previous comment but if it got a good laugh out of him, she felt happy. They walked the halls of the hospital, Kori's arm snaked around Richard's and she finally felt good for the first time in a long time. She studied his face, eyes still hidden by the shades (a habit she knew was hard to break) but his structured chin, pointed nose and lithe body captivated her still. He wore a simple navy blue jacket with a black long sleeve under it, dark jeans, and his hair tousled and tied back into a ponytail with a couple of rebellious strands falling on his chiseled face. He looked every part the rich playboy ward he was supposed to be but he looked so devilishly handsome that she couldn't help but sneak a glance or two (or ten) in his direction.

"Will we be going by car?" asked Starfire, carrying a small suitcase next to her full of her belonging, however diminutive it might be.

"Car?" Richard repeated incredulously, "No way, we're going by jet."

Victor whistled, his voice teasing.

"Using daddy's money for the better good, huh?"

Glaring viciously at him, Richard chose to ignore him and instead, focused his attention to Kori as Victor laughed once more.

"I dunno whether you'll like Gotham. It's really different than Jump but at least we'll be together."

"That's all I care about, Richard," replied Kori, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Oh Dick!" said Victor dramatically, his voice rising to a high pitch and he began making out with his hand, "I've missed you so—"

Starfire stuck her tongue out at him rather childishly but she smiled nonetheless. They joked around some more as they made their way to the roof, feeling like the old times had come back again. It was then she started to understand the impact of no longer being a part of a team, the warmth and comfort they brought along with their presence. Maybe it her thoughts or perhaps she was still weak but the cold wind hit her as if it was her first time on Earth, harsh and biting into her body. She shivered, something that Richard noticed immediately and he handed her his jacket, shrugging her negative comments off. It was a bit too big for her but that was just perfect. She wallowed inside the jacket, letting his cologne wash over her like the sunshine.

The loud rudders and the even louder motor bid for a quick good bye. Kori thanked Victor profusely, promising to call as much as humanly possible. Victor gave her a huge hug which she matched with her own before he waved them off. He had a busy schedule nowadays and even then, he had taken the time to be by her side as much as he could. Kori would never forget his kindness and she made sure he knew how much she appreciated it.

The jet wasn't small at all. In fact, it was way too big for only three people; the pilot, Kori, and Richard. The seats were covered in black leather and the space was roomy enough to throw a party and still be comfortable. And yet, Richard looked right at home in all of this, in appearance anyway. He gave her a reticent look, as if to say that this hadn't been his doing. He sat down on one of the chairs and patted the one next to him, inviting her to sit. She did with a smile and let him strap on her safety belt, resisting the urge to run her fingers through his long hair (though she wasn't sure why she became shy all of a sudden). They didn't speak for a few moments, choosing to listen to the pilot through the speakers instead. It was when the jet began to take off that they actually started to talk.

"Gotham is your home, yes?"

She could see the pensive look behind the shades as he turned to her, turning her question over in his head.

"You could say that," he said hesitantly and thankfully, Starfire didn't ask him to expand upon it. She could it was a touchy subject, even when he had his shades on.

"What's with the shades?" she asked good-humouredly, wanting to lighten him up. He smiled at her rather sheepishly, fingering the frames and after a moment, he removed them, letting Kori see the jewels that were his eyes.

"Habit," he mumbled and Kori nodded. She knew.

"You know, I didn't forget about you," he started seriously, his tone indicating an important conversation, "I'm sure you know by now that I didn't come see you during visiting hours."

Kori gave a single nod, trying not to appear hurt.

"Well, it's true."

Kori's heart fell, feeling like he had just smacked her in the face. They way he had said it so easily, so nonchalantly made her feel worse.

"I came to see you during the night," he continued, lacing his fingers through her short hair, "I had night patrol most of the time but Bats would send me to places where even Gotham cops could handle themselves. So instead of wasting my time there, I would come visit you."

He smiled at her, knowing very well the hurt she had felt over his distant self was now healing. Still, he proceeded to explain himself.

"You know I could never leave you."

Like medicine, his words mend all her wounds and she leaned against his hand, wanting nothing more than comfort after all the ordeal. It wasn't just relief that washed over her but a sense of peace; that in the middle of the night, she had been watched over and protected, even without her knowledge nor anyone else's. He had made sure she was fine and she could only imagine how he must have felt to see her lying prone for all those months. The low, purr of the engines and the soft, warm voice of Richard left her woozy, making her lean against his shoulder and close her eyes, wrapping her fingers around his and placing them on his lap. With drowsy eyes, Kori spoke.

"What will I do in Gotham?"

Richard thought about it for a second.

"Nothing," he finally responded, "You need to heal before even thinking of what to do next."

She mulled his logic over and accepted it. She didn't want to think about it yet either but her words left her lips before her brain could take over.

"Would I have to get a job?"

Richard shrugged gently, making her head bob ever so slightly.

"I can think of a number of jobs for you," he said confidently, turning to look at her with a suggestive raised eyebrow, "But like I said before, don't worry about it now. Just relax for a couple of weeks."

Kori nodded but only to appease him. Inside her mind, she went over what he had just said. She would take his advice and recover as quickly as she could but in reality, she could not see herself healthy and strong and not be a Titan—or at least, in the business of crime fighting. It seemed long, long ago when she had been expected to be her planet's next queen and then, she could not see herself anything else but a queen as well. She wondered, if the same would happen with crime fighting.

The jet took them to Gotham quickly enough. Leaning back against his strong shoulder, Kori slumbered for an hour or so before Richard gently woke her, informing her they were about to arrive. During the half an hour of arrival time, Kori felt herself become rejuvenated, whether it was because of the sleep or her conversation with Richard. It felt like old times, chatting about nonsense that meant the world to them. He purposely strayed away from any topic concerning him, Gotham, or what had happened to her those months ago and instead, he chose to talk about the former Titans. What they had been doing (he was awfully well-informed for someone who didn't keep in contact) and how they were doing. They remembered the times they had; when they had lost Beast Boy near the dessert for a full hour during a mission before coming back to get him, or the times they got kidnapped by the Mad Mod.

"How embarrassing is that?" he asked her, a grin splitting his face as Kori laughed next to him.

"We were merely caught off guard, Richard," she giggled, stifling the rest of her laughter. They continued to pull apart every mission they had gone wrong in, laughing as all their mistakes became so obvious and simple. Looking back on those times where a lot easier than re-living them.

The plane landed smoothly, its wheels hitting the ground with a soft jolt that moved everything inside the jet and though Kori was used to planes by now, she wished she cold have been given a chance to fly. She wanted to stretch her muscles and feel the wind blowing through her hair, however short it may be. She couldn't think of better medicine than that. Stealing a glance at the man next to her, she rethought her last reflection with a small smile.

Through her nervousness, her eyes lit up as the plane doors opened and the small opening of freedom made her feel light-hearted. She clasped her hand around Richard's and felt him squeeze back comfortingly.

They descended the stairs into an empty runway, with only a few hostesses bidding them good bye as they walked away from the plane. Kori's eyes widened at the sight that met her. All around her, there were green trees surrounding the place where they had landed and beautiful statues surrounded the roof. Her eyes widened as she understood where they were even though Titans' Tower contained a retractable roof for the same purpose. However, Titans' Tower had been built for crime fighting, this home was made for living.

Noticing her confused look, Richard told her,

"We just landed on the roof of Wayne Manor. Only the best for the millionaire's ward."

He finished his sentence sarcastically.

"X'hal, Richard, we do not have such big houses even in Tamaran."

He shrugged nonchalantly, as if to tell her that he didn't know what to say though he voiced it pretty well.

"There's like a zillion unused rooms in this mansion and for what? To keep up appearances, of course."

"That you are wealthy?  
He shook his head.

"That we're normal."

Not quite understanding, Kori nodded as if she did and followed him as he made a beeline toward the roof door. He was just as cold as she was and no doubt, he didn't want her to catch a cold in her weakened state. But before he could even get near, the door opened and revealed an old, wrinkly man who, for his age, looked quite well. On his face, there was a lifetime of stories and experiences etched in a map, completely unreadable to anyone but himself. His kind eyes looked at Richard who greeted him with a simple, "Hey Al," before moving into the staircase, dragging Kori behind him. Once inside the warmer atmosphere, Richard gave the old man a bright smile and cringed slightly under the man's disapproving glare.

"Master Dick, I know I have taught you better than this."

Playful eyes looked at him apologetically if not a bit teasingly at the man he called Al.

"Sorry but it was _freezing_," he cleared his throat, imitating a British accent, something he knew would pull the old man's leg, "Alfred, this is Koriand'er. Kori, this is Al, the greatest weapon in this house."

"I am pleased to finally meet you, Miss Koriand'er. Richard has spoken of you often."

Kori smiled kindly, walking up to the man to give him one of her famous hugs. She felt the man stiffen under her and she wondered if this was a trait of all male creatures on this Earth. Robin used to do the same.

"I am also pleased to meet you, Alfred."

Richard had a goofy, teasing grin on his face as Alfred showed he could not deny the girl's sweet demeanor when his face softened, inviting her into the room connected to the staircase once she let him go.

"I shall inform Master Bruce of your arrival."

Alfred left, leaving Kori and Richard in a large living room, furniture as if it was a royal house. The couches and sofas were the best money could buy, so expensive that Kori hesitated before sitting. If it wasn't for the fact that Richard threw himself on one of the sofas and dragged her down with him, she wouldn't have even glanced at them. The walls were covered with pictures, random but beautiful paintings of sceneries, women, and Kings. Kori's eyes hurt just from looking around this single room which was the same size of the Common Room back at Titans' Tower.

"Crazy, huh?"

Kori nodded, dumbfounded. She let him tuck her into him, holding her against the fire in front of them as her eyes wandered around the room. They earned a moment of silence, tired from the long flight and hungry as well but content to be with each other at last. Richard opened his lips to speak, perhaps about something serious which Kori would have been happy to listen to when the door to their left opened and a man entered. Richard instantly looked up, causing Kori to react as well. She disengaged from him and stood when he did.

"Hiya Bruce," Richard said, using the same teasing voice he had used with Alfred but there was a more serious undertone toward it, hidden but not to Kori's ears. Bruce nodded at him and looked at Kori who felt herself shrink under his gaze. His eyes were blue, just like Richard's but at the same time, so unlike his protégé's. Something made them darker, deeper than the baby blue eyes Richard possessed. Even with the mask, Kori had felt them piercing into her skin and into her very soul.

Richard spoke.

"Bruce, this is Kori. Kori, Bruce Wayne."

He extended his hand and she took it, gripping it with a tight hold, something that made him glance at her with a surprised look.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Wayne."

Her voice was strong and at the same time, it held a sense of respect for the older man. Kori was rarely intimidated by people but there were times when certain beings commanded respect, like Robin and currently, Mr. Bruce Wayne.

"Likewise," he responded with a nod before turning his eyes on Richard, his voice and demeanor changing when he spoke but Kori _just_ couldn't put her finger on what it was, "Alfred will make dinner tonight but I won't be able to make it."

Richard nodded, as if it was the most common thing in the world.

"I'll be going then," he turned his steady gaze to Kori once more, "Enjoy your stay, Kori."

"Thank you for having me, Mr. Wayne."

He nodded at her once more and turned, leaving the same way he came. When the door shut, it seemed as if the fire behind her started giving heat once more and life returned to normal. His presence wasn't entirely uncomfortable but it felt like something or someone lurked behind Bruce Wayne; something dark.

"Shall we?" asked Alfred, making his way to the second floor. His kinder voice and amicable face warmed her up considerably. When Richard took her hand in his, things started to return back to normal, the easy going atmosphere coming back into her skin. Amazed at what Mr. Wayne's mere presence did to her and her perception, Kori barely noticed the spiral stairs they began to climb, adorned with bust of Greek gods which seemed to be staring straight at them as they made their way upward. Kori could tell this was the house of someone important, someone who had power but there was no real warmth that lay inside the objects. They felt empty, so unlike everything that the Tower had once held; every object had carried a story with it, whether it was funny or incredibly sad, the Titans breathed life into it. Through the halls, Alfred led them to one of the 'trillions' of guest rooms as Richard had insisted there were.

"Your bedroom is ready and waiting for you, Master Dick," he added as an afterthought before leaving them. Richard nodded at him and went inside with Kori to help her unpack.

"Where is your room?" she asked as her small bag dropped all the contents onto the comfortable mattress, nothing more than essentials, few of them for that matter.

"A couple of doors from here," he answered easily, looking at her meager belonging and he promising to go to the mall with her and get her a new wardrobe as soon as she got settled.

Sitting Indian style on her new bed, Kori looked at Richard with big eyes as he placed the empty bag under her bed.

"Mr. Wayne is a very busy man, is he not?"

He hadn't been expecting her to talk about him when they were finally alone at last and she could tell by the fleeting look on his face.

"Yeah, he is. Why?"

She shrugged, biting her lower lip as she regarded him.

"Just wanted to know."

"Don't take it personally," he said softly, standing over her as he spoke, "That's just the way he is."

Kori nodded, unwilling to tell him that she hadn't been offended. No, she had been rather captivated by his guardian. But then her eyes gazed at him with bright, playfulness that no man, with nerves made of steel or not, could deny loosing himself over them.

"What?" he asked curiously, a grin looping around his lips as he crawled over to her.

"No one gave me a proper hello today," she complained softly, pouting slightly as she said it. And at once, she changed the mood immediately. His blue eyes lit up mischievously, sitting in front of her and taking her hands in his. His handsome face inched closer and closer to her until she could feel his breath on her lips, her eyes had long ago closed in sweet anticipation.

"How rude—" he muttered, letting his words die on her lips.

There was nothing like his kisses; sweet, like honey pouring out of him and into her. Captured by him, she easily let him have his way with her, relinquishing all power to the only person who could get this personal with her. He explored every lost crevice inside her mouth, making her moan in pleasure as her fingers tangled within his jet black hair, pulling him closer to her still. His scent had been lost to her with all the time in between their last meeting and to have it again was like water quenching a thirsty man. Her hands traveled around his chest, the soft pads of her fingers pushing against the hard muscles beneath the shirt and making strange patterns all over. Crawling into her body, he pushed her back against the bed, his hand traveling down her side and hooking onto the back of her leg, winding it around his waist. His sense of time and self ceased to be, all his sense soon focused on her and her only. The soft strands of curls, the way her skin lifted into goosebumps everywhere he touched, the way her lips released small, erotic moans that clashed against his own lips and suddenly, his brain stopped working and allowed---other parts of him to take over.

It didn't help that Kori was doing absolutely nothing to stop him.

To his relief (though part of him decided to look at it the opposite way) a knock on the door made him open his eyes and look around suspiciously, his teeth still grazing her jaw line and a rogue hand making his way upward underneath her sweater.

"Master Dick," Alfred's voice sung through the door, making Richard sit up ungraciously and run a hand through his tussled hair, fresh out of his ponytail and wildly coming loose all over his face. His lips were swollen and pink, very much like Kori's who was still lying back on the bed, her own bright eyes full of brilliant fire which only Richard could spark in her. He unraveled her legs from his waist which made Kori smile naughtily at him and for a moment, his eyes glazed over once more and he leaned into her to continue what had been so rudely interrupted. The door creaked open, a small gap showing between the doorway and the door itself that made Richard swallow loudly as he quickly tried to calm…_certain_ parts of him. He tried to tie his hair properly as he shot up once more, scooting as far as he could from her warm, inviting body. Kori stifled a giggle and sat up as well, doing nothing more than looking innocent which came naturally at her.

The door opened fully within the second and Alfred stood there, his black and white suit looking impeccable and looking at Richard with knowing eyes.

"If you are done inviting Miss Koriand'er to Wayne Manor," he said cheekily, "then I suggest you come downstairs and inform me what you will be having for dinner."

Blushing slightly, Richard opened his mouth to speak but a soft squeak came out, his voice still not steady enough to be used. Kori couldn't help a giggle escape her lips which made Alfred's eyebrow rise a centimeter or two.

"Ahem, I meant we'll not be having dinner here, Al. Since Bruce isn't joining us for dinner (for once)," he muttered sarcastically under his breath before continuing, "I was hoping I'd show Kori around."

"Very well, Master Dick," Alfred noted with a nod and left but not before glancing at them with a small warning look, as if to say 'try not to get too into it." When Alfred left, Richard let out a huge sigh and collapsed against the bed, throwing an arm to hide his eyes. He let out a low groan and started to mumble incoherently. Kori looked down upon him with a sympathetic look, running her hand through the strands of long black hair. It was a lot longer than before, almost as long as she had seen him in the future. She lightly wondered what it meant.

"Why do Alfred and Mr. Wayne call you Dick? I thought your name was Richard."

Peering through his arm, she saw him look at her with hooded eyes, still lustful but now with humor in them.

"Dick's nickname, like Kori."

Kori nodded but she stopped quickly, another 'but' forming in her head.

"But Kori comes from Koriand'er. Dick is nowhere in Richard…"

Richard rolled on his stomach, letting his head drop on her lap and explained to her, rather annoyedly about the stupidity the English language could sometimes be.

"Can I elect to call you Richard?" she asked rather timidly, looking down on him gently, "I find something—strange with Dick."

He chuckled, pulling her by the neck down to kiss him and whispered sensually,

"You can call me whatever you want."

She half frowned and half smiled, not deciding whether it was a nice comment or kinda dirty of him. Still, she chose not to think about it too much and let him kiss her all he wanted. It had been way too long since she enjoyed these caresses, so intimate, so much like him. He had the same vigor for her that he had for crime fighting, perhaps even more since the reward was far more enjoyable when it came from Kori.

Still, when she felt he was getting too into it, by his roaming hands and wayward lips, she smiled and pushed him back gently.

"We continue this way, Boy of Wonder, and we will not be able to have dinner."

With eyes still closed, he hummed gently, a smile still on his face.

"I'd like to eat something else—"

He chuckled as she let out a loud scoff, incredulously swatting him for the comment. He got up quickly to escape her wrath, the lopsided boyish grin still on his face. She giggled when he offered her his back and laughed even more when she jumped on him ungraciously, making him stumble out the door as she kicked wildly, like a over hyperactive child. But the smile on his face was ever present, enjoying every moment, something that didn't go by unnoticed by the pair of watchful ancient eyes that always remained opened in the Wayne Manor.

---

They took his motorcycle, of course. What other form of transportation was there in this world, after all?

"Certainly not flying," he warned her when they got to the basement of the mansion, "Here you are no one but Kori Anders, you understand? No one really knows who the Titans are, not when they got their own masked crusader flying around here."

Kori nodded, unsure how she would handle Kori Anders. She could barely handle Starfire at the moment. Putting her arms around him, she snuggled her face into his back and smiled, letting the worries run down her shoulders and into the air that whipped around them as the garage doors opened. He had planned a special outing for them, mostly to show her around the city but mainly, to spend some much needed time with just the two of them together, like they used to.

But it was different yet again.

Kori suddenly found herself face to face with no other than Richard Grayson, no Robin in sight and no responsibilities to worry about. It was refreshing to see him at his purest, helping her stand as she got up from the motorcycle and giving her a dazzlingly sweet smile, one that had always been shadowed with whatever problems the Titans had been having at the moment. He drove them to the center of Gotham, a lively place full of beautiful men and women parading around in the finest clothes, glamorous jewelry beckoning them from a distance, the necklaces and golden hoops winking at them like stars on a dark sky. Compared to these women, Kori felt extremely humbled in her jeans and sweater while Richard fit in with the rest of them just fine, getting a few glances from the women who passed by them. Either he pretended not to notice or he truly did not but he kept walking and talking to Kori as they strolled down one of the most popular parts of Gotham City, Gotham Square.

The buildings were magnificent in structure, their sheer size were titanic, bearing down upon Kori as she looked upward, almost afraid they would fall upon her. Even with the new polished look the buildings had, the structures were very old, gothic-like with gargoyles sticking out the sills of the windows or the rooftops. Lights were everywhere which made the atmosphere even more beautiful as the sun began to fall, washing everything in the afterglow of the day. Slowly, almost as if it was planned centuries ago, the sunlight ceased to bring light into Gotham and instead, the busy streets of Gotham Square came to life. The people laughed, spoke loudly, sirens wailed as they made their way past the other cars, and the city seemed to be infested with rambunctious life.

"Here," Richard pointed suddenly to her right, entering with her alongside him to an expensive looking store. Loud music played through the headphones that surrounded the clothing store and miles of clothes lay before her eyes.

"Shop away," he told her with a smile. Kori let out a small laugh that seemed more like a breathless gasp and was about to retaliate, to tell him that it was too expensive but he waved a plastic card in her face with the name Bruce Wayne. She continued to look at him with an unmerciful look but he shook his head and proceeded to drag her in.

Needless to say, the stores were all soon visited by the couple who became polluted by the vigorous and animated life in Gotham and suddenly, there was nothing more but pointing and laughing with the energy of the teenagers they were supposed to be. To her eyes, Gotham was the grownup version of Jump City. There were no pizza shops here but finer places, no small discount clothes stores but the eleven story store named Killinger's Department Store, a place where she could find everything she could ever want in clothes. The sound of a city packed into a small island-like place made it feel claustrophobic, as if too much had been pushed into a small area but in reality that's what had happened and that feeling is what made the city come alive.

With all the lights and sounds of the energetic city, Kori felt her strength come back within her. People were beautiful here, the very air was charged with excitement and she couldn't help the contagious atmosphere.

They dined at a place called 'The Watchtower' situated at the very top of Gotham's most famous and largest clock in the city. Kori had been granted time to change in the bathroom of a Killinger's and to get ready for their dinner at the restaurant. She donned on a dress that made Richard's eyes pop out with lust and jealousy for he was not the only one who would notice how extremely gorgeous she looked. It was a simple dark violet dress that was tight around her bosom and waist but delicately loosed around her legs. It ended an inch or so above her knees, swirling softly as she moved, like a cloud unwilling to let go of her. Her heels were long and pointy and though it took her time to learn to walk in them, she managed to do so, albeit looking a tad bit uncomfortable as she did. With her hair up in a loose bun and her face clear and makeup less, she could have easily outshone any of the other women in the café.

They sat near the window which allowed them to look down upon the geography of the city. Exhausted, Kori felt herself return to tranquility in the intimate, dimly lit café with its smells of robust coffee, delicious food and liquor. The ladies around them all wore their best clothes, rich, luxurious dresses of every size and length with mink coats and fur bags. They looked every part of belonging to such a city which naturally made Kori feel like utter nothing. She looked at Richard and felt a little jealous that he seemed so comfortable in his surrounding, easily fitting in with the rest.

"The place is real snobby," he told her quietly, crinkling his nose, "but they make the best food ever—well, except for Alfred's. You'll see."

He winked at her knowingly and she could feel herself being reduced to jelly.

"This is how you lived before, Richard?" she asked him unbelievably, shaking her head in confusion as he nodded, "But how did you ever get used to eating three day old pizza with the Titans or having to wait hours to use the facilities when you have so many at Wayne Manor or---"

"I know it seems weird but I actually enjoyed living like that," he chuckled fondly, perhaps at the memories but with Richard, she never quite knew what passed through his mind, "At the Manor, everything is so rigid, you know? Breakfast at ten in morning, lunch at three, dinner at seven… Always the same kinds of food, always the same empty dinner table, always and the same arguments at the times when Bruce actually dined with me…it got tiring."

"I thought you and Mr. Wayne got along?" Kori asked, honestly curious at their relationship.

"We do, not all the time but most of it," he gave her a lopsided grin before he deepened his voice, making it slightly scratchy, "_It's the teenage stage_, Al used to tell him but I know it's more than the teenage stage. He and I are too different sometimes."

She nodded but she couldn't make an assumption yet. She had yet to receive a chance to really study Mr. Wayne properly. A minor wait later and the conversation taking a lighter tone, their waiter arrived, carrying with him a large memorized list of dinner dishes to which Richard politely interrupted him and ordered for both himself and Kori. When the waiter left (with a sour look on his face at being cut off at something he obviously worked hard to memorize) Richard gave her an assuring look.

"Be assured that your taste buds will melt when you taste this."

Kori laughed at the comment but wondered if he was merely exaggerating the quality of the food. She soon found out that he was not.

Richard looked around nervously as Kori took yet another bite of her food and let out a low moan, full of ecstasy and contentment. Her eyes shone through the somber atmosphere with pure pleasure and all the women who looked at her raised their eyebrows at the younger woman, wondering what in the world she was having and wanting to order the same.

"It's good?" he asked, sweat dropping nervously. She nodded vigorously, humming her delight at the confection. Richard had no choice but to continue eating quietly while Kori seemed to be having the most enjoyable experience of her life and for a moment there, Richard actually felt jealous of the meal. Relieved at the sight of the empty plate, he ordered desert and hoped she wouldn't catch another fit again. Thankfully, she didn't and instead, she enjoyed her chocolate cake like any other human being.

"Richard?" she hummed, letting her eyes travel to the window and into the millions of light that reflected upon the glass, "Now that you're back in Gotham…will things change?"

Finishing his drink, Richard looked at her face, scar free and healthy once more. Small curls of hair fell in her forehead while the rest lay calmly against her nape. She looked very different with short hair, younger than she truly was but with one look at her eyes, one knew that life had given her more than her healthy share of troubles.

"What do you mean?" he asked her, joining his fingers and placing them under his chin.

"I just want to know if this Robin is different than our Robin."

Her voice was quiet, secretive enough so that the other people present would not hear but her voice remained this way because of what she felt. The insecurities ran through her again over having to discover yet another side of Robin, no longer the Teen Titan but becoming another fixation in the world that was Batman.

"I dunno," he said simply, knowing very well what she meant but deliberately ignoring it. He had thought about it himself and even then, he had lied to his own conscience. He found it was easier to lie to himself than to Kori. She nodded at his answer and he knew, by the way she turned to look at him, that she knew better.

With their meal finished, the two left the beautiful sight of the dark sky clashing against the luminous lights of Gotham and returned to the conundrum that was Gotham at night. At night, the Square reached the peak of life but unknown to Kori, Richard had brought her here for her to see the best in Gotham. He knew, far too well, that not all of Gotham was like this. In other parts, it was the polar opposite. He knew her, Gotham, too intimately to be fooled by the glitz and glamour. Richard had discovered in the city's exotic embrace just how dangerous she could be to those who walked within her reaches. The cruelty she exuded alongside the beauty had always captivated him and he had gone out of his way to know her secrets as personally as he could.

For now, Kori would get to enjoy the mistress that was Gotham City when she was at her best.

-------------

After the adrenaline passed and the excitement of Gotham City drained from their veins, the ride home was quieter, full of the very things they wished not to discuss but haunted them like a rain cloud. With the motorcycle parked in the garage and the silence so pregnant with unspoken words, it was Richard who took her hand and quietly led her to the library where the lights were dimmed and the atmosphere was just right for a conversation. They passed Alfred along the way and with one look at Richard, he gave a nod and turned, making sure they were not to be disturbed.

In the confinements of the library, Kori sat on one of the couches which were as soft as a cloud, the cushions fluffy and perfect for a rainy day's worth of reading. With wide, expectant green eyes, Kori found her gaze steady on his own who seemed to be quite nervous. She had some sort of idea of what the night would be about; it was the very thing they had avoided for half a year now.

"You will not chide me, will you Richard?" Kori started attentively which made Richard chuckle deeply.

"No, though I should be giving you the scolding of a lifetime," he smiled at that, "that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

He sighed, making it incredibly difficult for himself. It was not that he could not talk to her because he often found that if there was anyone on this Earth whom he could share his life with, it was Kori. But just because he could talk to her didn't mean it made things easier for him. There was too much intensity, too many emotions that he couldn't handle.

"I wanted to start off by telling you that I may not be here too often at nights, like tonight," he kept his eyes downward as he continued, mainly because he didn't want to see the disappointment come into her face and slowly fade into worry. He continued.

"I have night shifts with Batman almost every night and most of the time I wake up _super_ late in the morning---" he trailed off uncertainly, sounding like he was just giving her his schedule, "I just wanted you to know that so you wouldn't think I'm not devoting time to you 'cause I want to. It's just…the responsibility, you know?"

He stopped speaking, the last couple of words hung in the air but he raised his eyes to see her nod at him, her ever accepting face thrown into shadows by the light.

"Is this what you have been doing all this time, Richard?" she asked. He nodded, shifting closer to her, tucking her body into his.

"Is this what you want to do?"

She felt him sigh deeply, his chest rumbling its answer.

"Sometimes it's not about what you want but what you must do."

Kori thought about it for a moment, her hands coming together and she began counting the little nicks she still had from the battle.

"And who gave you this responsibility?"

"No one," he said quickly then paused, the afterthought sliding like a snail into his mind, "Myself, my parents, the bastard who murdered them…pick your answer."

Kori wet her lips, biting down on the lower one for a second or so of pensive thought. She felt very worried over the fact of what he was on the verge of. She didn't know it yet but she knew it had something to do with what she had seen in her future. She had hoped that coming back would change a few things and it had, much to her relief. Now, she was noticing that some things perhaps just could not be changed.

Molded against his body, she watched the dimmed lights play tricks on her mind and suddenly the shadows started to move, gently, calmly as if they had nothing better to do.

"I am sorry I was not here for you," she started apologetically but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Don't start, you don't have to apologize."

She looked down for a second before talking again.

"Raven says you still haven't forgiven her."

For the first time since she had seen him, the dark look crossed over his face and threw his features into jagged shadows, matching the anger he still felt.

"She shouldn't have stopped us," he said through clenched teeth, obviously holding in his anger toward the young witch, "She should have---"

"I told her to do it," Kori stated simply, lifting her head to meet his eyes. He looked back at her, some part of him shocked but irritation was taking over rather quickly.

"What do you mean you told her?"

Kori sighed, reluctant to tell him in fear of getting him even more upset. Her pinkie rose to scratch her ear, stalling her answer as much as she could but his eyes, present on her face would not let her.

"I asked her once that if the Titans were in trouble, would she rise to the occasion to protect you and she promised she would. I dunno why I asked…it was one of those things that just happen."

Pondering it over, Kori knew she had a vague idea of the troubles to come but she could have never fathomed anything of this capacity.

"That doesn't matter, Kori," he continued, his voice rising slightly, "I gave her a direct order. I told her to put the shield down and she didn't listen—"

"Like you are not listening now," Kori scolded gently, running her hand down his cheek, "Do not be angered at Raven. It is unfair to hold on to such feelings, especially when she does not deserve them."

He didn't look like he changed his mind over the subject, he just looked like he was even more angered by the fact Kori had actually told Raven to do what she had done.

"I still apologize, regardless of your objections," she said softly, the conversation turning so quiet that they were whispering by now and yet, the words held everything they needed to hold, "And I wanted to ask you something as well."

She swallowed the bitter taste that suddenly arose in her mouth. It was something she had though of while shopping, merely because she had seen the deep orange color on a shirt.

"Is Slade—dead?"

It was amazing how one word could completely change Richard. Perfect blue eyes darkened at the very mention and his mouth formed a thin line on his face. His very aura transformed into something deeper, darker, more animalistic that anything she had seen before.

"Yes."

"And I was the one who—"

With one look, he silenced her. It was penetrating, like Mr. Wayne's but since it came from Richard there was a certain quality of humanity that touched her in a way Mr. Wayne's could not. It was not a look of command but a look of pure, undiluted emotion.

"He got what he deserved."

Her conscience screamed that no one deserved to die in such a way and certainly she was no one to take yet another life. Her insides screamed in anguish, adding another sin in her life, ones that she could not erase.

Her hands lifted his and held into view, her eyes looking over the knuckled who had punched the lights out of every villain he encountered. They were calloused with years of training and fighting but to her, those knuckled would always remind her of the fury he had possessed when they had slammed against Slade's face, breaking the bones into pieces, making him completely unrecognizable. A slender finger passed over them and without knowing, she mumbled something that made Richard chuckle gloomily.

"It felt good," he admitted enigmatically, "To finally get all those years of frustration out on him…it felt really good."

"Oh Richard," she sighed, her eyebrows coming together in distress, pressing those same knuckles against her chest, "Do not say such things, please. You would have never gone as far as to—"

"I may have," he interrupted her callously, facing the unlit fire to his right side, away from Kori's face, "I wanted to, _so badly,_ Kori, you have no idea how much I wanted to feel all the pain he had brought to all of us," he trailed off, searching for the words to put it kindly but he found eh couldn't.

"I would have killed him if it hadn't been for you."

She remembered his face so clearly, like it had been yesterday. His mask had been splattered with blood, dripping rivers down the sides of his face and if the mask hadn't been in place, she was sure she would have seen a beast inside his eyes, something so monstrous that she would have regretted seeing it the instant she laid eyes upon it. every pound of his fists against pure skin rattled inside her memory, the sounds of bones crackling and smashing and his moans…X'hal his moans had been the worst. Slade had begged for mercy at his end, surely and end he had not at all expected. Robin had always been the boy scout, doing what was right, saving kittens from trees, rescuing children, putting out fires…never would Robin had gone insane and tried to kill him.

But he had.

Closing her eyes, she could see the strength with which he delivered his blows and the way his teeth clenched together with each impact.

The image remained as her eyes opened, glazed with tears to look at him.

"You would have not killed him. You merely needed a reminder of who you were which I provided," she nodded at her own words, remembering his look as she sprawled across him after being thrown by his raging fist. His eyes had widened and he looked down upon the half broken man with such fright that she knew he wouldn't have done it.

Anger is just momentary madness.

"There are certain rules you live by, Richard but sometimes even the strongest men need reminding of what they are. I am your reminder."

The steeliness slowly faded from his eyes, still unbelieving in her words but the softness with which she said them felt like salve over his wounds. His lips captured hers in a slow, leisurely kiss that made her shiver in his arms. Their hands joined against her breast and below the flesh, he could feel her heart beat signaling that yes, she was still with you. Before long, Kori threw a leg over him and straddled him, tugging at the ropes of his hair to get better access to his neck, wallowing in his strength. Time passed slowly but for them, the night ended too quickly.

He had his responsibilities to take care of.

And so her first night at Wayne Manor was a lonely one, with no one to curl against or caress. Sleepless green eyes did not close until the heaven skies started turning beautiful shades of magenta and blue, the rising sun greeting the prone young woman who had fallen asleep only minutes before.

* * *

'Anger is momentary madness' is a quote by Horace that I used before but this one was changed a bit.

Also, just a quick note on Robin. I deem Robin and Richard as two entities which is what I think separates him from Batman (but that will be discussed later on) so bear with the name changes please. They do matter, though. Next chapter will be more action (I hope). I am still in the process of re-writing everything since Kori was supposed to die (just like Nightwing in the Infinite Crisis...poo)


	32. Chapter 32

**IMPORTANT NOTE**: There will be _absolutely no_ Barbara/Batgirl bashing here. I am not too fond of her but just because she dated Robin here and there and millions want them to get together doesn't mean I will bash her character. On that similar note, um…why did Dick cheat on Kori in Nightwing annual 2? Anyone care to explain that one to me? I say if a writer doesn't know a character well, don't jump into conclusions and do something as drastic as that. Dick would NEVER cheat. If you would like to hear more ranting, please contact me. I am _**so**_ willing to let off my frustration.

* * *

**"Let men say what'er they will. Woman, woman rules them still."**

_--- Issac Bickerstaffe_

**Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. **

_---Dr. Seuss_

**Before you can break out of prison, you must first realize you're locked up**.

---Author Unknown (Damn, this is what Robin is all about!)

It was well into the afternoon when Kori finally awakened. The sun was high in the sky, boring down, uncompassionate against all the inhabitants of Gotham. The heavy and obviously expensive dark blue curtains were closed, all three layers of them, allowing only peeks of sunshine to filter in. Kori had been lazy enough to leave them open the night before which meant someone had been in her room sometime during her slumber. Part of her wished that it had been Richard but if it had been him, he would be the one she was cuddled up against and not the pillow. It had probably been Alfred coming up to check on her when, at twelve in the afternoon, neither Richard nor Kori had come down. He was used to late mornings from Dick; it was what usually happened after night shifts but he hadn't expected it from Kori.

Rubbing the sleep off her eyes, Kori sat up sluggishly, taking a moment or so to stretch her limbs in the huge but comfortable bed. It seemed everything in the Manor was exaggerated or at least, in her eyes it looked that way. Her room was Gothic style, like everything else in the strange city. The posts at the corners of her bed were not normal posts; instead they showed faces of old Greek gods, everyone from Zeus to Hermes in various states of anger. The white curtains that fell around the two parallel sides of the bed were drawn open, deliberately done by Kori since she felt incarcerated when they closed around her. There was a desk on the side of her room, big enough to fit all her possessions if she had been able to salvage them from the destruction. A body sized mirror resided next to her walk in closet, full of clothes now that she had gone on a shopping spree with Richard. The mirror was adorned with a beautiful wooden pattern as well, exquisitely made by the best in the industry. But aside from those prominent objects, she had all the carpeted room in the world. What she was supposed to do with it, she didn't know but she could just imagine living here as a young child.

How boring it must have been.

She threw back the covers and looked at the door on her left. She could stand a nice, hot shower at the moment. Smiling, Kori walked to the curtains first and tried to open them. They were heavy things, like whoever made them didn't want them to be touched or worse, like hey didn't want the sunshine to filter in the room. When they opened and let the sun in, she could feel her body greedily absorbing the heat and it made her feel light headed; it made her feel giddy once more. Stepping lightly, she made her way to the bathroom for the most refreshing shower she ever took in her life.

Even the bathroom was spacious, way more spacious than the one in Titans' Tower. The bath was huge, enough to fit two or three of her but she enjoyed the space, making sure she used all the bubbles provided to her. Rose petals were stored in jars as well as fragrances which she used to clean herself with. Soon, petals of every color littered the water she was in and the white wisps that rose from translucent water were filled with different scents. She giggled when she stepped out of the shower, smelling like a human potpourri but she liked it. It was different. With a simple dark robe, she stepped into the closet and chose her clothes for the day. She couldn't feel it in the warm room but by the light haze outside, she knew it was quite cold once again. So she chose a nice light blue turtle neck shirt and faded jeans with the same colored boots. She tucked the jeans into the boots and zipped the boots. Running a brush through her short hair, she looked herself in the mirror and couldn't help but stare.

She couldn't even recognize herself. She was not often out of uniform and the rare times that she was, it was for small periods of time but she had never looked this _normal. _Her short bob made her even more unrecognizable, letting her heart shaped face shine through without any obstructions. Tall and fit, she looked like any other normal seventeen---no, she was done with that age, she was now eighteen. She looked like any other normal eighteen year old teenage girl. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not but it's not like she had any choice over it. She still had her youthful form, perfectly curved in all the right places and though her eyes were still a little puffy from her coma, she looked as pretty as she had done before. But there was something in her she still couldn't recognize, something that didn't have anything to do with her short hair and puffy eyes. Without a further glance, Kori turned toward the door to see Richard leaning on the doorframe, his arms crossed and a soft grin on his face as he admired her.

"You're beautiful."

Kori's face split into a smile.

* * *

"Ahh, I see you have finally decided to awaken," Alfred said lightly, glancing at them from the kitchen counter. Richard gave him a nonchalant shrug, sitting next to Kori on the large island counter. He twisted around in his stool-like chair like a child as he looked at Alfred who had turned his back to them as he finished cleaning the counter. 

"I assume you want your breakfast?" Alfred asked, his tone the same as always but Richard seemed to always want to tease him.

"Starving heroes, here," he said with raised eyebrows, winking at him as he turned to look.

"The usual?"

With a nod, Richard thanked the butler as he sighed and began to get the pans ready.

"And you, Miss Anders?"

"The same as Richard, thank you."

As Alfred began to cook, Richard looked around the kitchen.

"What are we doing today?" Kori asked, noticing his fidgeting and though she did not remark on it, she wondered the reason for it.

"Dunno," he answered easily, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Aparo Park is honoring Master Bruce in a few hours," Alfred piped in, adding butter to the pan and watching it sizzle before turning to Kori, "Wayne Industries have donated a lot of money to clean it up."

Kori turned to look at Richard who was now inspecting something to his right.

"Shall we go, Richard?"

"Oh, he was to," Alfred added, taking a look at Richard and raising an eyebrow, the same way Richard does when he and Kori argue, "Isn't that right, Master Dick?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, "Sure, I'll be there."

"Good because Master Bruce is expecting you."

"I bet he is," Richard mumbled again and began to turn on his stool once again. Kori gave him a questioning look to which he rolled his eyes and gave the 'don't ask' look. Kori let it pass without question.

"I have taken the liberty of airing out your tux, Mas---"

"I'm not putting on a tux, Al," he said callously, frowning slightly as he said it, "I'm just the punk ward, remember."

Kori could feel the tension in the air, a certain hostility between Alfred's good intentions and Richard's antagonism over Bruce Wayne.

"Master Bruce would certainly appreciate it if you wore something proper to the festivities."

Richard didn't say anything to that but the grumpy look was still on his face. Kori thanked Alfred as he served the scrambled eggs, sprinkled with salt and pepper alongside bacon and a mug of warm chocolate. They ate in silence, listening to the gentle cluttering of pans and pots being washed and put back in their rightful place. The silence wasn't a bad one but it had an air of irritability in it. Finally, when the dishes had been cleared and Kori and Richard finished their meal, Richard looked at the old man grouchily as he handed him the dishes.

"We'll go," he grumbled childish, as if they had been arguing about it all these minutes about it, "but I am _not_ wearing the tux."

With a martyr like sigh, Alfred nodded.

"Very well, Master Dick."

With a pat on the back, Richard turned back to Kori.

"The event isn't until seven so what you wanna do 'till then?"

Kori shrugged, clearly having no clue.

"I know where to go," Richard said suddenly and Kori could see the flashbulb light up on top of his head, "Let's go down Davis Avenue."

* * *

The metro in Gotham was the biggest contradiction Kori had ever witnessed. The stairs were shiny and clean, the halls lit brightly and everything was spotless. Kori was in easy awe over everything on the metro, from the posters of the mayor to the small television sets who were eternally turned on to the news. But once the train arrived, everything changed. The trains were old and rickety, dark and bad smelling. Richard saw the look on her face and apologized quickly to which Kori waved it away. The bike had broken down a few blocks away and with no other way to get to Davis Avenue, they had stored it in a garage and decided to take the train. Richard had been reeling the whole way, cursing everyone from the mechanic to some poor old dog who got in his way as he walked with Kori. 

"Richard, please," Kori pleaded simply but he listened, toning down his grumblings.

Afraid to touch the dirty poles, Kori chose to balance herself as best as she could as the train picked up speed and shot off like a bullet into the heights of Gotham. High above the streets, the curves and valleys of Gotham were easily recognizable, beautiful even. The buildings seemed to touch the sky high above the clouds, majestically looking down upon the citizens who had changed right before Kori's eyes. No longer were there lovely minx covered women but hunched ladies with grim looks on their faces and squinty, shifty eyes. Their clothes were old and moth eaten and they had taken no time out to put on any make up or jewelry of any kind. They looked quite simple compared to what Kori had previously seen. The men all looked saddened and grim, carrying whatever possessions they needed and guarding it with the very life. Richard noticed, of course, and told her not to worry. Being an alien power house and having the Boy Wonder by her side, she wasn't scared but she was definitely entranced with the change of scenery. Yet another side to the city, so complicated, like a human being.

After three stops, the couple descended and took a look at Davis Avenue. Unlike Gotham Square, there were no flashing lights or loud commotions and instead, there were large, wide buildings full of antiquities. Their first stop was the Museum of Gotham Art, a cathedral-like building full of artifacts and expensive art. Kori had to remind herself to close her mouth at everything she saw but the awe was so astounding every time she took a look at a piece of art or a historic object. She had to admit the works of art were strange to say the least. One glass case contained a bottle of yellow ink dripping down unto the floor where a small, clay clown stood looking up, his face drenched in the paint. She didn't know what to make of it but she figured it had some meaning behind it. The air conditioned building brought her back to the classy people she had encountered before and she wondered why the people in the train couldn't enjoy this beauty as well. After the museum, they walked across the avenue to the shows on the streets. In the middle of the sidewalk, a lady began to dance while three gigantic anacondas surrounded her, looking at her moving body hungrily as they began to wrap around her. The woman was not frightened; instead, she moved with more vigor, letting the snakes hiss around her. Next, they saw a man stuff a large sword down his throat. Once the sword was dodged in, he began to juggle two large wooden stick which he lit on fire second before.

It seemed as if her eyes would explode with so many things. Richard didn't look as entertained as she was and his reason was simple.

"I've seen all of this before."

Kori could have guessed. Still, he made sure she got to see everything, even carrying her on his shoulders so she could see above the crowd the small parade the East District was giving. Dancing women, men, and everything in between paraded down the streets with balloons, floats, and beer. Lots and lots of beer.

When the sun began to set and Kori felt as if she couldn't give any more, Richard led her to his favorite place in Gotham City.

"Novick Seaport," he inhaled the salty air around them and Kori felt a peace wash over her. The sidewalk was right next to the clashing water and many decided not to walk around there, especially when it was so cold but Richard and Kori were not one of those. Wallowing in their coats, they walked along the rocky sidewalk, speaking softly about anything that came into mind, excluding serious topics. Those were not for now. Leaning over the iron rails, they let the wind ship their hair back and forth and shared a few intimate kisses here and there, holding hands the whole time. With the sun setting and the wind turning cold, they decided to call it a day and walked back toward the loud streets of Gotham but not before sharing a slow, warm kiss as the sound of crashing waves filled their ears.

"Do we have to go?" Richard whispered against her lips, a white puff cloud hitting her smiling lips.

"We do," she said softly, leaning in for a quick peck, "Please be nice to Mr. Wayne."

"I am nice to him," he said disbelievingly at her, holding her hand and walking back, "I'm the nicest person he could ever have."

"Well, you—" she trailed off, not wanting to stick her mouth in her foot or was it the other way around?

"You what?" he asked, snapping her out of her confusion.

"Well," she said hesitantly, "You seem so...hostile toward him."

He scoffed.

"I can't be hostile to someone that isn't there."

Kori looked down, taking in what he said. She could tell there were problems between them but she didn't know how far they went. Her silence made him turn to her and stroke her hair.

"I'll act all sociable, don't worry, but these parties tire the hell out of me," he rolled his eyes at the thought, "You have to suck up to everyone or else you seem impolite," he groaned, running a hand through his long hair which he turned loose for the moment, "I hate doing that."

Patting his back, Kori comforted him as best she could but she knew nothing could take the dread away from that night. Still, as dismayed as Richard was over the opening of the park, Kori couldn't help but feeling excited as only the city could make her. Gotham had injected itself into her veins and wouldn't let her go.

* * *

There were a few setbacks (complains and such) but at the end of the night, both Richard and Kori came down to meet Bruce Wayne at six thiry sharp. Richard wore an elegant tux which Alfred had forced upon him, despite any objections from the younger man. The older man had ways to get what he wanted and though Richard knew this (after so many years of living with him and acceding to his demands) he would put up a fight until his very last breath. With a cranky look on his face, he had knocked on Kori's door and instantly, the look vanished to be replaced with one of pure admiration. 

"Alfred has great taste," she commented lightly as she stepped out of the room, her white dress fanning behind her. It was modest in the front, a boat neck line that barely showed cleavage and the sneaks one could catch left you in pure hunger. When his hand grazed her back to lead her, he came upon soft, warm skin that teased the longing in his fingers. The dress collapsed down the back, leaving the curve of her spine for everyone to yearn for. Her sleeves were long and open, like butterfly wings when they start to spread out. The dress was elegant but the color and accessories made sure it didn't look too old for her age. She wore long, violet earrings with a matching gold necklace and purple bangles that jingled every time she moved her arm.

Wondering how on Earth she could look so gorgeous, he suddenly thought of something else.

"Alfred left you this dress?"

She nodded, a smile on her face.

"Right size and everything," she said, shaking her head disbelievingly, "He is truly extraordinary."

Not wanting to know what else Alfred knew or could guess for Kori, he turned his attention on the splendid looking young woman on his arm and on the cruel evening ahead of him. They walked down the stairs to greet Bruce who was also dressed in a tux but while Richard looked incredibly handsome in his navy and black suit, Bruce Wayne looked like royalty in his. It was a formal black and white but with his handsome face, rock hard jaw, and dark blue eyes, anyone could have swooned for him. Richard's attractiveness was more subtle, hidden in the crevices of his eyes and in the corners of his mocking lips.

"You look lovely, Kori," Bruce remarked, turning his gaze to Richard, "I see you wore the tux, Dick."

"What other choice did I have with the tux Nazi over there," he said lightly, nodding to the living room where Alfred was fixing a few things but Kori could tell that some part of him was not joking.

"I have heard great things about your efforts to clean the park, Mr. Wayne," Kori mentioned, her green eyes shining as she gazed upon the older man.

"Just doing what I can to help Gotham," he said with a smile, adding, "Alfred will make dinner later this evening and I'll actually be joining this time."

"Woah," Dick said with wide eyes, "Who are you and what have you done with Bruce?"

"Very funny, Dick," he said humorlessly but his eyes lightened a shade or two.

"What are we waiting for?" Richard asked his mentor and both he and Kori were surprised to see his regal demeanor falter as his broad shoulder drooped.

"I don't want to go," he sighed, sounding almost childish. There was a pause before Richard started to laugh, taking Kori's arm and leading them out.

"No way, if _I_ have to suffer, so do you."

Bruce rolled his eyes, calling Alfred to join them before leaving Wayne Manor with his ward and girlfriend. They were taking their largest car they had, just in case of emergencies which Bruce was always prepared for.

The ride to the park was short but like always, Richard brought life into the conversations with his witty comebacks and retorts to whatever Bruce had to say. Alfred would join in the teasing in a more delicate way, refined all the way though his taunts were just as bad as Richard's. They complimented each other well, though making their jokes very funny indeed. All the while, Kori noticed how distant Bruce was with her, merely answering her questions with short replies but there was never warmth in his voice. She thought of anything she may have done wrong but she couldn't think of anything. Surely he was not bothered by the fact that she was staying at Wayne Manor. There were so many rooms and it was such a big house, she was surprised he actually knew who she was. She wished she knew, if only to try and make it better. Nonetheless, during a small pause in between their conversation, Kori thanked Bruce once more for letting her stay in his home.

"Not at all," he answered her from the front seat, not bothering to turn around, "Think nothing of it, really."

Kori merely kept her eyes on the back of his head as she nodded, slowly peeling her eyes away to look at something Richard was pointing to on his left.

When the car ride ended and Alfred ushered them out, the crowd blockading the main gate of the park began to part and all those who saw Bruce Wayne come by waved and smiled charmingly, commenting on his clothes, his haircut, his ward, and the pretty young girl on his ward's arm. Like parting the red sea, Bruce smiled back with a special type of charisma that, to anyone else, would have appeared to be real but Kori knew better. It was the same type of charisma that she saw instantly through because Richard was doing the same thing. Her smiles always came naturally so she found nothing hard about doing this; they had done the same back at Jump when they had to open a new school or business. The photographers went crazy with pictures but unlike those in Jump, they did not restrain themselves from being rude, both physically as well as verbally.

It was quite a relief when they were able to get away from the reporters ten minutes later, unscathed but definitely on edge. Her eyes throbbed from the flashing lights right in front of her as the reporters decided to stand in front of her face to get millions of pictures. Richard got angry and shooed them away, a frown that let them know they shouldn't mess with his girlfriend. Finally free, Richard gave a loud sigh and muttered obscenities to which neither Bruce nor Kori objected. They felt the same way as well. The entry of the park was a high steel doorway, meticulously perfected craftsmanship and extremely expensive. There, a large party was waiting, already drinking the young evening away and when Bruce Wayne entered, the entirety cheered and toasted, giving him compliments up the wazoo. Richard stifled a laugh as he entered, commenting to Kori just how crazy these rich folks were and she couldn't help but to agree.

The ladies, as always it seemed, wore huge fur coats even though it wasn't all that cold that night. They sparkled with heavy amounts of jewelry, hanging off their earlobes, their necks, their wrists, anywhere really. Large hair seemed to be in style, fashioned into monuments on top of their delicate heads. With fake smiles on their faces and loud voices, they seemed like multi-colored parrots more than ladies. The men were almost the same but they went on more subtly with their ties and suits and neatly brushed hair. Their eyes held the key to their false pretenses and though most of them were quite handsome, the phoniness that dripped down them made them sour in front of her.

"That's Marion Grange," Richard told her through the side of his mouth, smiling and nodding to those who greeted him, "She was mayor for some time but then she got kicked off a few months back. She supported the Bat an awful lot and not a lot of people like that."

They stayed behind Bruce as they passed through the crowd on their way to the podium in the center of the party. Stale smells of drinks and alcohol swung in the air, like a lily petal caught in the breeze and unable to break free. Richard pointed to an older, gentle looking man to his right and walked toward him, a genuine smile on his face. The man was old, maybe in his fifties and wearing dark rimmed glasses that did nothing to hide the kindness in his eyes.

"Commissioner Gordon, how are you this evening?"

Bruce also came up behind them, his own face authentically eased. They shook hands after Richard and spoke in a low, calm tone.

"Been ok on my part," he said easily, turning to Kori with kind eyes, "And you are Miss Anders, I take it?"

A little taken back, Kori nodded and shook his hand, smiling and feeling at simplicity with the man. Noticing her momentary surprise, he chuckled deeply, the way a grandfather does with age.

"We like to tell you otherwise but Gotham is a small city and the news travel like wildfire."

"News about what?" Kori asked innocently though the man's eyes glinted with a small hint of waywardness.

"That Richard Grayson's lovely girlfriend has come to town."

She turned to peer at Richard who chose to look somewhere to his right, away from her though she could see the tint of pink around his ears.

"Jeez, does the whole city know?" he muttered, embarrassed

"Yup, the whole city."

Bruce and the commissioner shared a laugh at his expense but it was an easy laugh, devoid of any tension. Kori could tell they knew each other for some time and knew each other well. The three men started to converse leaving Kori to look around the park. It was an elegant looking park with lavish fountains and monuments of wild looking beasts but other than that, it looked pretty common. The people who surrounded it were anything but. With laughs like hyenas and eyes dark as the night, Kori began to see yet another side of Gotham, darker than before. Everyone seemed so phony, so fake about everything they wore, did, and said. Only once in a while would she find people who she could tell were real but they were like diamonds and they looked bored as hell.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of red and caught the scent of vanilla. A laugh reverberated through the air, shaking her out of her reverie. A slender form hid behind Richard and pair of hands hid Richard's bright eyes and he let go off Kori's hand to close around the slim hands, a knowing smile on his face. The woman was hidden behind his body but even so, Kori cold see the strands of deep blood red hair catching the wind.

"Babs?" he uttered and she squealed slightly, jumping away from his like a child but she was anything but. Her body was that of a woman, her face full and nicely shaped with a pointy nose and full lips. She stood in front of him with a full fledged grin on her face to which he matched with his own before receiving a crushing hug.

"Man, it's been forever!"

Her voice was rich sounding, mature but at the same time it held a girly timbre. She wore a beautiful green dress that ended just above her calves, tight fitting but making her look very elegant. She showed little cleavage but the little she showed appealed you to her. A long, black coat hung off her body as well, touching her curves with the gentleness of a lover's fingers. With the green eyes and red hair, she was a real knock out and she was giving Richard a huge kiss on the cheek.

"Brucey, my man, how you hanging?" she said happily, giving Bruce a slap on the arm and totally ignored the glare the commissioner gave her.

"Now, Barbara…" he started but Bruce held his hand up to tell him there was no offense made.

"I'm alright, Barbara. I heard you recently returned from Mississippi."

"You went to Mississippi?" Richard asked in awe, looking back at her with soft eyes.

"Dude, it was awesome. The food was delish! I must have gained a million pounds just _looking_ at the food…who's this?"

Her eyes had traveled everywhere as she spoke until they landed on the strange girl next to them. Richard turned a plum color and shook his head, as if scolding himself.

"Sorry. Babs, this is Kori. Kori, this is Barbara Gordon, the Commish's daughter."

"Beautiful title, Dick," she said sarcastically but extended her hand at Kori who shook it with a small smile.

"So you're the one everyone's talking about," she said off handedly, not noticing the panicked look on Richard's face. She continued.

"You're not bad, in fact, you're incredible," she turned to Richard, giving him a wink, "You sure know how to pick them."

He mumbled something that made Babs laugh and they resumed their conversation, leaving the older men to talk with each other. Barbara grabbed Richard's hand and led him to a nearby table, his free hand waving to grab Kori's fingers and pulled her along with the overexcited woman. They sat, ordering their drinks as they spoke about the good ole' days.

With a hushed voice, Barbara leaned into Richard and gave him a wicked smile.

"Remember Crazy Quilt?"

Richard rolled his eyes, scoffing as he shook his orange juice. He was not yet legal to have an alcoholic beverage.

"That loon? Hell yeah, I'll never forget being captured by some weirdo named after a safety blanket."

Barbara laughed, turning her gaze to Kori.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" she asked with a raised eyebrow when Kori looked at her with questioning eyes. She extended her hand to her Kori once more.

"Hi, I'm Batgirl."

Kori's eyes widened as she shook her hand once again. When Barbara's eyes returned to Richard's, she held irritation and a bit of resentment.

"You're such a dick, Dick. Why didn't you tell her about me? I'm the coolest thing in Gotham."

Rolling his eyes, he apologized half heartedly and kept on sipping his juice. Barbara returned to Kori and began speaking to her once more.

It was extraordinary. The way she spoke captivated you, the liveliness in her voice was contagious and she looked like a real nice woman, not much older than they were and certainly by the way she spoke and acted, she didn't think of herself as an older woman as well.

"I could have been part of the Titans, you know," she began, her eyes wrinkling as she spoke, "I just didn't want to. Please, to be bossed around by this bundle of neurotic nerves," she scoffed, shaking her head as she poked the younger man, "I pity you, really."

Kori smiled, cocking her head to the side.

"He is not that bad," she said gently, earning a soft sneer from Richard, "He is a good leader."

"Ahh," Barbara sighed exaggeratedly, "To be young and in love. You'll believe anything you imagine to make up for all the _horrible_ faults he has."

"Thanks, Babs," he muttered but you could tell he was not the least offended. She offered him a radiant smile, a smile that could have melted ice glaciers.

"You're staying at the Manor, right?" she asked Kori and when she confirmed, Barbara clasped her hands together and nodded.

"Perfect opportunity to mooch off Alfred's cooking," she tittered, her eyes tingling with mischief, "Although the food down South could give Alfred a run for his money."

"What were you doing down South?" Kori asked, leaning her chin against her hands. Her drink remained somewhere to her right, forgotten over the new development that this woman was also part of the Bat family.

"This and that, you know. I'm a wild spirit, I go where the wind takes me."

Richard scoffed, commenting at how corny she was.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" she asked him with a raised eybrow.

Richard didn't deny it. The talk they shared was full of old stories, stories Kori couldn't possibly interrupt with her own opinions but she didn't mind. She had never heard Richard be so lively in conversations or smile as much as he smiled now. Soon, the light of the young eveningt gave way to the darker inklings of night and Bruce began to approach the podium amidst the loud applauses from the guests. Leaving their drinks behind, the three of them walked to the front of the crowd to cheer him on with the rest.

A natural speaker, Bruce delighted his guests with quiet, almost shy thanks you's for contributions and tales of why he had decided to do this for the city. The crowd ate it all up but Kori, Richard, and certainly Barbara did not. They all knew he just wanted to get the hell away. He shook hands with the Mayor and other important people but as the party began to start again and people began to drink and chatter, a loud boom resounded through the night. Then another and another until the air was filled with them. Bruce, Barbara, Richard, and Kori looked up to the skies where the sound was coming from but through the inky darkness, they could see nothing. Finally, with her lineage of felines in her veins, Kori's sharp eyes spotted a figure moving against the shadows of the dark sky. She pointed at it—no, she pointed at _them_ as they moved closer and shouts conjoined the loud beating of the creatures' wings. Half a dozen creatures made their way to them, sending the guests scrambling and the heroes ran back to the car where Alfred was waiting with the trunk and doors open. Barbara told Bruce she needed to check on her father before changing to which he agreed to with a nod. His eyes followed the young woman until she disappeared through the crowds, his blue orbs clouded with worry. Bruce entered the rear of the car as Richard entered the front, reminding Kori with winded breath that here she was not Starfire and could do nothing to help. Kori frowned, her eyes instantly lighting up with annoyance but she followed his instructions, merely waiting next to Alfred as they changed inside the car. She understood where he came from but it certainly didn't mean she liked it or was willing to accept it without a grudge.

"Do not worry, Madame," Alfred said lightly, his eyes vigilant on the creatures as they flew closer and closer to them still, "It is all for the best. Besides, they are very capable of handling this small commotion."

Kori nodded, having nothing else to do but lean against the car with arms crossed and a sour look to her face. The doors opened and out stepped the Batman in all his glory, the body armor he wore shining glossily against the moon's aura. If Bruce Wayne intimidated her, well that was _nothing_ compared to what the Batman did. The cowl hid most of his face, leaving nothing to be revealed by those who knew him best, Robin included. He became taller, broader in his uniform and his very aura changed to something darker, more sinister. Robin steeped out behind him, the same bright colors which Kori had unconsciously missed for the last couple of weeks. For a while, she was thrown off by the uniform she hadn't seen in so long. It was then she realized just how long she had been out, away from him and the world around her to be surprised at the familiarity of the yellow, black, red, and green. She noticed the uniform was the same style as before but the colors were darker than the older uniform, no longer as bright as before. He clashed horribly with Batman anyway who looked like he belonged in the shadows of the night.

"Stay with Al," Robin warned her, his eyes hidden by the mask once more. Kori nodded grudgingly and watched worriedly as he ran a few steps behind Batman though she knew he could be a lot faster than the older man. This confused her quite a bit. Robin was never one to hold back his abilities. They met Batgirl half way, her uniform looking very similar to that of Batman's with the bat sign straight on her plentiful bosom and yellow go-go boots to match. Her belt, unlike Robin's, was bountiful with materials and the pockets were larger, more filled but it didn't obstruct her performance. She ran on the other side of Batman and the three of them became the famous Bat family. Already, the few reporters who had returned back to the scene were snapping pictures away, commenting with each other at what they saw. From afar, Kori saw them look up and she did as well to see the clear monsters.

"They're Man-Bats," Batman uttered seriously, his eyes narrowing to slits at the sight. Huge bat like creatures began surrounding the park, haunting the few people who remained there and those on the sidelines, creating a panic across the park. Statues were shattered and fountains broken, spewing water all over the grassy plains. They were horrible things, vicious and ruthless with hideous, long faces of rabid bats, their teeth as sharp as knives and tempers that went off in a millisecond. With bulky, large wings, they sent off a torrent of air and water from the fountains around the air, their claws trying to sink into anything soft and human. There were at least a dozen of them and they didn't seem to be looking for anything. They created mayhem all around the small area until their eyes set upon the three heroes standing directly under them.

"Ughh, they smell," said Robin disgustedly, looking up at them with a sickened look to his face. Batgirl nodded next to him and added,

"Kinda like you when you finish training."

Robin gave her a glare as she smiled before focusing on the orders Batman started to bark out.

"Batgirl, take the ones going for the guests."

She nodded and immediately jumped off to do so, extending a bat-rope to the nearest pole and swinging like a monkey into the crowd of Man-Bats with no fear in her beautiful face. She was a very good fighter and Kori could see, even from a distance, some moves that seemed familiar to Robin's. She supposed Robin had trained her in the martial arts as well.

"Robin, take---"

"I'll take the ugly ones," Robin cut him off arrogantly and with his own incredible abilities, he jumped onto the back of the nearest Man-Bat and whooped as the beast began to try to shake him loose. Batman didn't look worried but his face flashed with antagonism to have his ward deliberately disobeyed him. He too jumped into battle and the three of them tried to shake the beasts off as well as they could. Yet, there were too many of them to handle, even with their abilities, they seemed to be fighting a losing battle. Kori watched with amazement as Batman did some incredible things, intelligently designed to take out as many of the Man-Bats as possible and in his aptitude, she could see where Robin reflected off of him. Like a fun house mirror, they were both so similar yet so drastically different. Both threw themselves into danger without a second's hesitation, unknowing the outcome except recognizing that no matter what, they needed to survive and be victorious for the sake of the city. With fists and kicks, they rose to the occasion to defeat the menace single handedly and with absolutely no fear.

In the heat of the battle, Kori noticed out of the corner of her eyes that a few Man-Bats had escaped the war between the Bat family and the rest. Instead, they headed for the crowd a few feet away from them, steadily beating their huge wings toward them. Kori wanted to call out to them, to warn Robin about this but they were so caught up with the battle that they wouldn't have heard her anyway. Still, she refused to disobey Robin's wished and prayed that the people would run away quickly. To her right, she saw Alfred notice it too and his face fell with worry. It was only when the people began to run straight toward Kori and Alfred that they begun to truly panic. The beasts followed after the crowd, snatching whoever they could within their grasp.

"I have to do something," she said breathlessly to Alfred and didn't wait for an answer. She only heard him cry out her name.

Running as best she could with her heels and dress, she pushed her way into the crowd, feeling strange as she ran toward the danger while the rest of them pushed and pulled to run away. The beasts seemed to notice this girl who stood up to them and headed straight for her. Easy prey.

Her heavenly eyes glowed green for the first time in so long and her veins tingled once more, making her feel powerful inside. A grim smile rose to her lips, looking up at the incoming creatures and with almost a suicidal look to her face, her hands began to light up. One, two, three bolts flew into the air, crashing against the creatures as they flew around her, squealing and roaring in pain but not yet defeated. Warned by the bolts, the rest of the beasts flew around her, more careful around the seemingly innocent girl. To her side, Starfire heard a crash and a noise of surprise from Batman but she ignored it. They could handle themselves.

All around her, commotion seemed to breed. People kept running away from the creatures, to her right and left screams rang out but she stood like a rooted tree in her position as the bats flew around her. Her bolts flew into the air, hitting the targets with ease until one of them dodged and headed straight for her. She heard her name cry out into the air but she didn't need the warning. Without hesitation, she flew into the air, her dress flying behind her like angel's wings. The wind in her hair, cold as it may be was refreshing. With her hands joined, she created a large bolt and sent it flying, hitting three of the creatures and she watched as they fell to the Earth with a large thump.

It was then she saw a few of them attacking the civilians below and with the training she had in her very veins, she flew down to them. A small group of rich, high class folks were surrounded by the bats, whimpering and cowering in fear, even after Starfire landed in front of them. The creatures lazily walked on the claws of the feet to meet her front on, their mouths watering as they looked upon her. Starfire didn't look worried but she was. There were at least six of them and they all jumped at her at the same time which she knew she couldn't possibly take out all of them. Frowning, she looked upon them as they came closer to her, trying to think of what to do but the people behind her screamed in fear, filling her head with dread. She panicked and raised her hands, as if to push them away and instinct took over. She felt her power slip out of her like water from her hands and into the air. Her eyes had turned away from the creatures but when no pain came, no sound of roaring and triumphant victory arrived from the Man-Bats, she turned to look.

A green orb had acted as a shield between the guests behind her and herself, forcing the beasts to slam against the shield and push her back a little. The shield extended from her hands but she had no clue how she had done it; she had merely not wanted to get body slammed by these monsters. Yet, the creatures pushed and roared to get through the shimmering shield, pushing Starfire back still. She stepped into the ground hard and settled herself as best as she could but she found herself being forced back with great strength, her heels scraping the park's cement walkway. She found herself growing weaker and with a certain amount of desperation, she shook her left hand to her side and tried to create a starbolt. She felt the tingle in her veins but nothing came out. She figured, after all this time not fighting, she was still quite weak and the shield was taking an extraordinary amount of power from her. She shook her hand again and this time a green spark flickered but no bolt. Sweating, she kept her right arm raised, keeping the shield up as they pushed her back again. She let out a grunt as they slammed against her, their sticky spit clashing against the shield and running down to the ground. When the shield began to falter, she truly started to panic. She tried her left hand again but her concentration was shot. Her eyes widened as the shield flickered out and suddenly the creatures grinned, their canines showing menacingly.

From the right, two bodies collided against the Man-Bats as they closed in on her and kept them at bay. Robin yelled at her to run to which she nodded breathlessly. She turned without a second thought and ushered the people to run as well which they did with great speed. From behind her, she heard the familiar explosion of Robin's explosives and kept running, leading the guests to safety. And then, without reason or cause, the creatures took flight, as if the party was over and started to fly away, their wings pushing up dirt and grass. Robin and Batgirl ran to her, breathless and tired but unhurt…mostly.

"Where's---" but Batgirl didn't finish the sentence as Batman landed beside her, his cape fanning out behind him. He was covered in dust and his face was bloody. Batgirl sighed.

"Does daddy ever get used to you doing that?"

Without a word, he signaled to the car and they followed, knowing very well he was in his Batman mode. Even Kori knew this and she followed without a single word. Batgirl changed in the rear of the car, behind dark windows and they dropped her off at her home where her father was waiting for her. Batman dropped his cowl back enough to be unnoticed and wiped his face clean. He rolled his window down enough to reveal his smiling face.

"Thank you, Bruce," the commissioner said to him with a relieved smile.

"No problem, she's safe and sound."

They left them behind, her father looking down on Barbara with a disapproving glare. Batman put his cowl back on, sighing tiredly.

None of the spoke on the way home but Robin seemed to be in the same mood as Batman, broody and bothered. Kori didn't dare speak. Instead, she looked down on her dress, torn and dirty from the battle. Her bangles had been broken and only a few remained, not enough to jingle happily as they had done at the beginning. When the four of them stepped out of the car in the garage, Alfred began to walk to the clock in the living room, opening the secret passage to the Batcave but Batman didn't go in. He looked at Robin with narrowed eyes and seemed to want to say something but before he spoke, Robin cut him off angrily.

"Don't. I'll deal with it."

His gaze turned to Kori and she recoiled slightly at the harshness in his covered eyes.

"Library, Starfire."

Her eyes widened as he barked out the command and looked straight to his back as he began to walk away.

"No," she said with a strong voice, a defiant glint in her eyes. He turned to look back, slightly bewildered at her response. Batman and Alfred didn't move.

"Starfire," he started again but she silenced him with yet another 'no.' A silent moment passed between them and their eyes could have burned a hole in each other.

"I do not have to listen to you scolding me like a child, Robin," Kori said heatedly, her hands balling into fists beside her. He walked up to her until he was in front of her, merely inches away.

"I gave you an order, Starfire."

"I am not Starfire any longer, remember?" she asked, frowning up at him as her words left her lips with spite, "And you are not my leader any more."

This stumped Robin who looked at her as if he had just seen her for the first time. Batman raised an eyebrow.

"I did what was right," she continued angrily, "Those people were in danger."

"We could have handled it," he said through clenched teeth and then, without warning, he shouted, "I told you to stay with Al!"

Kori jumped a little. Never had he spoken to her like this, with such fury. But it only fueled her fury.

"In case you have not noticed, Robin, this is not the Titans and I do not follow your orders anymore. I helped those people back there---"

"You put yourself in danger!"

Her nostrils flared, like an angered beast.

"I am not a child!" she yelled, "I do not need you to be rescuing me every time there's trouble."

He snorted like an angry bull and she thought he was going to shout again but instead, his voice deepened dangerously, so much it sent a shiver up her spine.

"This is my city," he murmured to her, a growl hidden in every word as he leaned into her, "You're no one here."

Her lips parted slightly as her eyes filled with hurt—and resentment. She closed her mouth quickly and gritted her teeth, staring back at his hooded eyes with the same ardor he looked at her. From her right, Alfred uttered Richard's name, knowing very well how damaging these words could be. Batman had often said them as well to those he cared for.

Robin turned away, walking into the passage way of the cave, his footsteps echoing as he stomped deeper and deeper into the cave, leaving Kori behind. Batman said nothing but after a pause, he also entered the cave with Alfred who hesitantly followed. Kori kept looking at the spot in front of her with a blurred vision but not because of tears.

She was livid as all hell.

* * *

Batman went directly to the computer to study the battle while Robin pulled his chair next to Batman's. He sat farther to Batman's left, his whole demeanor fuming with anger. Alfred said nothing as he moved around with antiseptic ointment and other necessities he needed to cure the wounds the two heroes had. He was never one to shy away from commenting on the actions of which he saw as his two sons but he had never seen Richard been so cruel. He went up to Robin first as to not disturb Batman who was still working on the computer. 

"Don't say it," Robin said with a tired voice, peeling the mask away from his tired face and rubbing his eyes wearily.

"I was not going to comment upon it, young Master," Alfred said quietly and paused for a second, "But now that you have brought it up, I do have to say that you were quite harsh with the young lady."

Richard groaned, throwing his mask beside him.

"No, he wasn't."

Batman's voice traveled to them, making them turn toward him and found him still staring at the huge screen. The blue light showed pictures of the Man-Bats and began linking them to those responsible for them in the past.

"She disobeyed his orders," he concluded with certainty. Alfred raised an eyebrow at the man.

"Well, if I may, sir, she is neither pet nor slave to be following orders."

His tone had been courteous but the sharpness which it held said everything. Batman was used to his remarks; all of them spoke with the utmost honesty from the man he felt closer to than anyone else.

"She needs to learn that one cannot survive in this life doing things so brashly. It was irresponsible of her."

"Is this what you think so as well, Master Dick?"  
He nodded though he didn't look so convinced of it, something Alfred noticed right away.

"And yet," Alfred continued, "those people were saved with her 'irresponsible' actions, myself included."

Finally, they stood in silence after Alfred made his point and he continued to take care of Richard's wounds.

"I don't like her influence on you," Batman stated suddenly, keeping his eyes on his work, "You disobeyed my orders as well."

The screen lit up with the picture of an exotic looking woman with eyes made of steel. Richard was quick with a retort to Batman's last words.

"Actually, I never let you finish so that's not disobeying."

His witty remarks always tried to cover something he hid and it always came when he and Batman spoke of such serious matters.

"You never countered what I told you to do," Batman said in an even voice, showing no anger but it was obvious that he was displeased, "Ever since you came back, it's been one fight after another."

It was true. Ever since he returned from the Titans, he had seen that his way of thinking had changed drastically from that of Batman's. Every night there was a new argument over petty criminals, Clayface, Two-face, and the Joker. Unlike those criminals in Jump City, one mistake could cost you your life. Richard knew this well and some part of him understood his foster father's worry. The other side, the one that usually reigned over him, was stubborn about his own opinions.

"Maybe when you realize that I'm not a child anymore then the fights won't happen at all."

The irony of his words juxtaposed Kori's own didn't escape him.

"Then behave like a grown up," Batman deadpanned, "You know what happens when you get caught up on _other _matters. You forget everything else, everything that's _important_."

Richard scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Just because you have no love life to speak of doesn't mean that I don't want one. Kori is just as important to me as crime fighting."

Finally, the Batman turned around and removed his cowl, something he rarely did when conversations like these stirred up. Richard sat a bit straighter in his seat.

"I know from experience, Dick. I don't want you to go through what I did."

Richard held h is gaze and their eyes bore into each other.

"I understand where you're coming from but I need to make my own mistakes and live my own life, not the one you want to give me."

Bruce paused for a moment and then nodded, putting his cowl back on but his eyes didn't shift from Richard.

"I don't want another episode of disobedience from you," Batman said, speaking like he owned the younger boy. It was the Batman voice again. Richard frowned.

"No," he muttered, feeling more like Kori as the moments passed. He could see the tension in Batman's shoulders. The high pitched echoes of the bats around them reverberated though them and the computer print out a single name. Alfred stood quiet.

"After leading the Titans, I know who I am and it's not someone who yells 'how high' when you ask me to jump."

Richard picked up the mask next to him and turned around, his cape swishing behind him as he made his way out of the Batcave, having enough of this.

"I'm not taking night duty tonight," he called out from the passageway and he knew Batman heard him, "Ask Batgirl."

The clicking of his boots faded away, leaving Alfred and Batman behind. Batman acted as if nothing had happened which to him came naturally. He had bigger things to think about anyway. He could not be distracted by such petty fights. Alfred, however, looked worried as he went up to Batman and began tending his wounds. His eyes glanced at the paper the man held and widened at the name.

Ra's Al Ghul.

* * *

For those who care, Barbara and Dick's talk about crazy quilt or whatever his name is came from Nightwing Annual 2. I loved the name and couldn't help but use it. The Man-Bats are also from Batman comics. 

Just in case, I have no clue how to write Batman much less his intricate arcs so we are going to have a basic overview of what's going to happen here. This is a Robin/Starfire based story after all. Also, for those who aren't up to speed with Bats comics, Ra's Al Ghul is just a big bully or at least that's how I see it.


	33. Chapter 33

I just wanted to say that I saw the movie 'Water' and I think that everyone should go out and watch. The impact it leaves you with is astounding.

* * *

_"It's all a question of imagination. Our responsibility begins with the power to imagine. Flip this around and you could say that when there's no power to imagine, no responsibility can arise."_

**--- Oshima, 'Kafka on the Shore' by Haruki Murakami**

_'Love is a fiend, a fire, a heaven, a hell, where pleasure, pain, and sad repentance dwell."_

**--- Richard Barnfield.**

The night was anything but over for Kori. After a long bath where she vented off a great amount of frustration screaming against the walls all the things she wanted to say and do to certain people, she took a deep breath and let all the impurities out. Muttering like a crazy woman, she told her woes to the walls around her, indicating just how idiotic Richard had been, how unfairly he had treated her and cursed in Tamaranian until she could curse no more. Not feeling all up to par yet, she soaked herself until she turned wrinkly and the feelings had lessened. In an indigo bath robe, she stepped out of the bathroom with her head in the clouds and eyes glazed over. The room was dark; she had been too upset to turn on the lights much less do anything else. She didn't mind, in fact, she rather liked the cover of the shadows at the moment. Stopping at the window, she looked out into the night sky, still punctured by the stars that winked at her happily from the sky and a few gray clouds contrasting the otherwise somber surroundings. She let out a sigh, a white puff of air escaping her warm mouth to hit the cold air outside. Her mind was still reeling from the anger she felt but another part took over, the part that often made her understand why Richard acted the way he acted. It did nothing to stop her stubbornness over the fact but it did calm her enough for her to feel her surroundings. Suddenly, she felt her spine tingle and the sense of being watched came at her without warning. Without a second thought, she called out his name.

"How'd you know?" the shadow to her right asked and she could hear the small surprise his question held.

"You and the shadows go hand in hand," she responded, turning away from the window and walking back to her bed. He emerged from the dark wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans, his uniform gone completely. The darkness enlightened his eyes, making them glow against the shady background as they looked straight into Kori's own illuminant green eyes. She sat prettily on the edge of her bed, keeping her eyes on him with the strange familiarity he always felt with her.

"It's late," she said without any meaning to the words. He nodded. A pause passed between them, lengthy and uncomfortable.

"I went everywhere," Richard suddenly said, leaning against the window frame and his sturdy outline glowed like the blaze of an angel, "I must have traveled the entire city in just a couple of hours."

"Oh?" Kori said with raised eyebrows, "And what did you discover?"

"That I was right in screaming at you tonight."

Lips pursed, Kori gave an irritated sigh and looked to her side, unable to keep her eyes on him. Her hair dropped tiny water drops unto the bed as she ran her hand through the strands. She didn't speak; she had no words for his arrogance.

"Do you want to know why?" he asked her with the utmost patience, like explaining a mathematical problem to a child.

"No," she said with a humorless smile, "I do not want to know your bizarre reasoning for acting like a—a—"

"Listen anyway."

Her eyes rose but without the warmness they usually held. Still, Richard spoke without hesitation.

"I went down to the dock again, tired from all the places I'd gone to previously when I basically collapsed against the rail and just stared out into the water. There was almost no one around and those who were there looked at me kinda strange but they moved on and there I started to think why I had yelled at you, in front of Batman and Alfred. I reasoned that you had put yourself in danger once more."

"I've always put myself in danger, Richard, its part of the job description."

Richard softly glared at her for interrupting him but let it go, continuing.

"Anyway, I thought that it was just for that. I mean, it's a damn good reason to be yelling like a madman at someone I love but then something else hit me, something that—I haven't wanted to think about ever since you woke up."

He ran his hand through his hair, pulling it out of his ponytail and letting it fall around his face. Straight, jet black hair that touched his shoulders fell like a curtain around him, making him look a lot older than he was. His face was shadowed by the hair but even with the shadows, Kori couldn't miss the sincerity in his eyes and words. He walked toward her, standing over her so she had to look up. After a pause, he sat next to her and took her hand, still wrinkled from the bath.

"I couldn't stand the thought of losing you again."

It took a while for the words to set in. The anger running through her veins made everything else cloudy and obscure. And then all Kori wanted to do was take him in her arms and kiss him and remind him she was still there making his life hell but she stopped herself, knowing he needed to say these things. Unlike Batman, he could muster the energy and the courage to open up to someone.

"All these months without you have been a living hell on Earth," his voice lowered, hitting deep resonances that barely traveled through the air, "I held your body that day, broken and shattered—Jesus, I could feel bones protruding from your skin…I could have gone insane."

He paused, swallowing harshly as his words took over. Her hand closed around his, giving him the courage he needed.

"It's barely been two days since you've been in Gotham and already you could have gotten hurt _again…_something in me snapped. Some part of me screamed that you had just woken up from six months, _six months_ Kori, of a coma and you already facing these things," he sighed, shaking his head but the next words came with certainty, "I knew then that I had done the right thing by yelling at you. You don't understand how I panicked when I saw you against those creatures. I actually _left_ Batman fall into some pit to get to you. I mean, I just let him fall in there. I knew he could get out of course, it's Bats but never had I just left him completely."

He chuckled, the humor not quite injected in the laughter but at the paradox.

"I do not agree with you," Kori announced after a while, "But I understand what you're reasoning is."

Her free hand traveled to his face, cupping it and ran her thumb down his jaw.

"You have all the reason in the world to worry after what happened but you can't keep ordering me around. Those days have long been over, Richard. Things are different now, drastically so."

"Yeah, well…" he mumbled, looking down on their joined hands, "As much as you'll ask, you know it's a habit I can't break."

She nodded, rubbing her thumb against the back of his hand, feeling the knuckles beneath her skin like rocky mountains in the distance. He looked down on their hands, not speaking but letting time pass. She could never stay mad at him, only because he always found ways to explain his actions in a way where she could understand. It was an unfair advantage he held but it always worked and what was worse, he was usually somewhat right in his thinking.

"You forgive this fool?" he asked her with a sheepish smile, his eyes meeting hers with affection.

"I do not know about the fool but I forgive you Richard," her eyes narrowed playfully, "Though I know I should stay angry at you until tomorrow at least."

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Raven always used to tell me to never forgive you on the same day you argued with me. She said I should not show you compliance."

He rolled his eyes, smacking his lips at the comment but smiled at her, shrugging his shoulders.

"Just this once."

She nodded, the corner of her lip rising into a warning smile.

"Just this once, Richard."

Eyes closed, she leaned into him, touching her lips against his in slow movements, like sand rolling around the dunes. She knew she should have stayed angry at him. The bath had taken most of her fury out of her; the moisture of the warm water had evaporated all the harsh feelings she had inside of her, leaving Kori cleansed of it once more. The thirst for forgiveness but mostly for understanding rolled up in his stomach like a fireball and he wanted to make sure she comprehended that he needed to know she was there, alive and warm under his fingers. Two small minutes passed between them, their lips finding the softness within the dark crevices of their mouths but soon the thirst became unquenchable by this act. The little hairs on her body stood up at his touch, gentle caresses against her face, her neck, her chest but never quite reaching underneath her robe. Instead, his hands pressed up against the folds of the thick material hiding the beauty just under it, wanting to take his time with this night and imprinted himself in the material.

This night would be their night. After so many months, so many lonely nights where all he could think about was her skin, the way she breathed his name out, the tears that had threatened to fall…Now, all of that would be dashed away on one single night. She pressed herself against him, letting her hooded eyes give him the answers he needed. Everything his lips touched was too warm against his conscious, too sweet, too heavenly to hold back and she made sure that with a well placed kiss and a yielding moan, he did not hold back.

The night passed slowly, both lovers unhurriedly taking the time to rediscover flesh and desire alike. Her writhing body beneath him assured him that she was there, her breathing as harsh as his and her movements matching his, flowing as waves in the oceans. Maybe she shouldn't have forgiven him so easily, maybe she should have showed him just how much had changed but when she looked back upon it, she knew she couldn't have. There was too much between them, too many memories and too many emotions to be caught up in stubbornness and waste the precious time they had with each other. That night, they made sure not one moment was wasted with taunting kisses and echoing apologies between them. Six months was a long time, time they had both felt in the most painful way. With her body creating waves on top of him and his own back curving deliciously beneath, their bodies gave way to the morning.

* * *

_Greenery met his eyes in full, the grass was high and lush, and happily playing with the wind as it blew past him, strays of hair slapping against his face. The sun seemed to be in an overly cheerful mood that day, its rays coaxing even the laziest creatures out to play. The air smelled sweet, clean and pure as if the heavens had descended upon him and quietly blew against him. From somewhere to his right, a lake rippled its sparkling waters, beckoning him to it. Lucidly, he followed its call, watching as the water reflected the greenery around him and giggled softly against his ears. Like a million stars stuck in the clear blue tar, the water glittered something beautiful. He smiled as he saw a hazy shadow get clearer and clearer still. Her beautiful golden body sat upon a large boulder, her toes grazing the gleaming sky blue water, water so clear that it reflected the moving clouds as they fluently passed by. Her giggle rang across the small space between them and he couldn't help but chuckle.. She wore a white dress, simple in appearance but she looked angelic in it, her natural tanned color lustrous against the purity of the dress. Long curls teased the winds and like a different entity, each long strand called out to him, beckoning him to them. Green eyes looked upon him with gentle love, unhurried and undemanding. When she laughed, her eyes crinkled at the corners, making her look even more beautiful, even more perfect than she already was. He walked for her, his arm outstretched, wanting to feel the silk of her skin, taste the honey in her pores, smell the lilies of the valley in the intimate crevices of her slender neck._

_And then the smell came._

_It was a putrid, decayed smell of rotten flesh. His nose wrinkled against it as he tried to blink the smoke that suddenly appeared in front of his eyes. He called out her name in panic and heard her pant viciously, so loud that he felt she was next to his ear. His hands reached out to her but he felt nothing, saw nothing and only heard the frightening rattle that escaped her once pink lips. The change in scenery was drastic and his mind panicked. His heart raced and pounded viciously against his chest and through the nebula, he stretched out his hands for her. The smell worsened, becoming more than just a smell. It seeped into his pores and contaminated his being, making him gag in absolute disgust. Her heavy breathing continued to surround him until he felt like he was suffocating along with her. His heart beat so hard he thought he might die at that very moment from a heart attack while his hands became clammy but he continued forward, dreading the sight that would meet his eyes. He called her name out again and it came out like a moan. _

_There!_

_The smoke cleared and he blinked a few times before he could see her. Pictures of her naked, bloodied body met his eyes and he flinched. Her moans became screams, such screams that made the hairs on his body stand within a moment. She yelled until her throat gave no more and the last note trembled in the air with a painful reminder of what she had suffered. His blurry eyes set upon the woman's outline until it became clear._

_The heavenly creature was covered in blood and god knows what the white substance was. Her face was unrecognizable, her hair was no longer red but white from all the dust it had collected and her body, the body that seemed to have been made by the hands of God himself was utterly shattered. Bones protruded from underneath silky skin and muscles and ligaments were noticeable. Her eyes held no life as she hung lifelessly in mid air and came closer and closer to him still as he remained unmoving, the scent of death becoming stronger and stronger still. He shut his eyes, not wanting to see anymore, not wanting to be there and he turned from her. He felt her clammy hand try to reach him and though he could not see her, he felt her utter sadness as he tried to run away. But the image had been bored into his mind and the smell had become one with him until his very existence became that broken, dead woman with the haunting green eyes. Suddenly, a hand closed around his shoulder and his name was moaned in the most pathetic way he had ever heard but it didn't sound like the woman he thought he saw. It sounded like his mother…_

With a violent jerk, he awoke, drenched in sweat that ran down his body and unto the pillow like rainforest water dripping off a lily's petal. His breathing was labored and harsh and while his eyes were wide open, they were blindly boring a hole in the ceiling of the room. The woman who lay in his arms quickly looked up to him, a concerned look on her sleepy face.

"Richard?" she asked quietly, her voice sleepy still, "Are you all right?"

Her face moved up and down with his fast moving chest, looking at him worriedly even after he nodded. His arms tightened their hold around her, wallowing in the feel of her warm skin breathing life back into him. She lowered her face to rest against his neck, kissing the sensitive area there and telling him that, yes, she was still alive and in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head, snuggling into her body and trying to calm himself back down.

"Nightmare?" she asked against his skin and sighed when he nodded. Her fingernails scraped his back gently, making him shiver in return. Without an effort, he threw his leg over her body and settled her into him, wanting to feel how well she fit against his body. Slowly but surely, he began to calm down and the feelings of the amazing night came back to him. He felt exhausted but he had never been so happy to be so tired in his entire life. He wanted to remain there forever and never again remember those awful experiences. They came frequently, the nightmares, to haunt him in his sleep even when she lay beside him. He knew the pictures, the memories, the sounds, the smells would never leave him but he knew that with her by his side, they would become nothing more than a bad occurrence. Still sweaty and very fidgety, he did nothing more than remain in her arms like a child but he didn't care and neither did she.

He tangled his fingers in her short, pixy like hair. He missed those long strands last night; how they usually lay strewn wild across the pillow as her back arched for him or the curtain they created when she felt like being on top and leaned down to kiss him. He would make sure all her locks would fall to her right, creating a drapery on their side, hiding them from the rest of the world. She still looked beautiful, nothing could ever take that away from her. Nonetheless, as he pulled the small strands of red hair, he would patiently wait for her to grow the strands back.

They did not speak as they lay next to each other or even when they began to get ready. There were no words left to say and certainly everything that needed to be said had been showed the night before. Forgive and forget traveled around them as they kissed by her bedroom door, leaving them with a lingering, persistent feeling that things were slowly changing, whether it was for good or for bad.

* * *

Gotham brought something new each day for Kori. She spent her time outside in the parks or in the entertainment parts of the city because Richard never allowed her to go beyond those sections. He said it was too dangerous, calling for trouble and such. But soon, days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months and before she knew it, she had grown extremely bored. She and Alfred had become cooking buddies; every night a feast was served with the most delicious foods that had ever graced the Wayne Manor's dining room table. Babs was haunting the mansion by now, constantly dropping in during dinner time claiming she had lost something or forgotten something until she gave up on the excuses and told everyone straight out that she wanted to eat like a pig. Even Bruce went out of his way to have dinner at the Manor, something that Babs and Richard chose to tease about constantly. Richard seemed to be getting along fine with his foster father, if not a bit cold at times, even when joking around. It was a strange relationship between them. One moment they were arguing their heads off and the next, they acted like old buddies. Kori didn't pretend to understand how they functioned but she often found herself pondering about them.

Kori and Babs found friendship in each other quite easily and the thing that Kori had wanted most during her times with her fellow Titan Raven came true with Babs. Almost every afternoon, she would come to the Mansion to hang out with Kori, go shopping, do the 'hanging out,' watch sappy novellas on T.V. and have 'girl talk.' She had never enjoyed the company of someone else so much until Barbara and even Richard exclaimed he was a bit jealous of all the time his girlfriend spend time with her than with her own boyfriend.

During their 'girl talk', Babs would spill everything she knew about Richard including the fact that they had had something between them when they were younger.

"I'm six years older than him but I thought he was cute, pixy boots and all," she commented lightly one day, "But we never got super serious, just you're run of the mill superhero puppy love. Besides, I could be thrown in jail for dating such a young kid!"

They laughed as they shared stories and laughed even more when Richard would look at them and shake his head disbelievingly, muttering something about 'strange girls with their hormones'. But nevertheless, after a month or so of all the excitement, things began to slow down. Richard continued his nightly duties with Batman, coming home injured most of the time and too tired to be with Kori. On those rare times when he snuck into the room in the middle of the night, Kori was too tired herself to be with him. Still, things worked to somehow.

"That's what afternoons are for," Richard joked around mischievously, waving his eyebrows at her during one particular, lonely afternoon at Wayne Manor. They made up those lonely, tired nights that afternoon.

In all, Kori was becoming fidgety with her life. She longed to be out there again, patrolling the streets and kicking bad guy butt. She actually felt jealous when Richard would come to her room and thrill her with the new adventured he had just gone through. All the villains he spoke off were far scarier that Kori had ever encountered before and they seemed truly dangerous but she longed to be out there. She was never meant to be kept locked in a mansion. Her wounds had healed and though her skin had mended, a few scars lay scattered across her porcelain skin. She was out of harm's way, that was for sure. But Richard insisted that she lay low for a while, just a little more.

Meanwhile, she quietly heard all the troubles Richard would not tell her even in the most private moments. Fights were common in Wayne Manor by then, especially when it came to the ever changing Robin. Batman seemed to be working him especially hard, to retrain him in the old ways but Robin wouldn't have it. If he saw another way to work problems out, he would follow his gut instinct instead of going to Batman for help. It was something neither of them was used to. Perhaps it was because of this tension that Kori felt more and more uncomfortable as the days passed. She knew she needed to get out of there; she was overstayed her welcome.

On a day like all the others, Babs invited Kori to see a friend of hers have a photo shoot in the upper side of Gotham to which Kori all but jumped at the chance. They traveled through the city streets but no longer was Kori in awe over the people and the sights. She had long gotten used to them. When they arrived at the building, a handsome young man by the name of Henri met them. He was a lovely man with a clear face, waxed eyebrows, manicured hands and his hair gelled up to perfection. He gave a loud, excited moan when he saw Babs and even louder when he saw Kori, lavishing them both with compliments.

"Darling," he 'tut'ed at Kori, "You got the most wonderful complexion these pretty hazel eyes have ever seen."

She laughed at his way of speaking, so extravagantly and making a big deal out of everything about her; her hair, her eyes, her skin, her breasts, and her smile. But it was clear to her that once he got to work, he would be absorbed in it completely, much like Robin used to do.

"Working with these lovely beauties is all I need in this life," he sighed, waving his face with his hand even though it wasn't hot in the room at all, "Now, if you would give me a pair of strappy young men, well honey, I wouldn't be just shooting them if you know what I mean."

Though Kori didn't understand, she could tell from the giggle he gave that it was something especially naughty. Henri ushered all the models unto the white background where they all stood in tight jeans and tight shirts, big hair and even bigger smiles against the pane that would become a beautiful scenery once the photos were handed to the special effects people. Barbara and Kori stood back to witness the commotion all of the crew caused, from a smudged eyeliner to a fallen light reflector that had suddenly caught fire. But when all was said and done and Henri was tearing his hair out of his scalp, he gave a loud piercing scream that made Kori jump three feet in the air.

The man paced around the room like an angry rhinoceros, cursing the model's very existence over the cell phone and finally slamming it down unto the floor with force.

"These wretched models are going to be the end of me!" he shrieked wildly, "How will I go on with the shoot? I'll get fire or worse--I won't get paid!"

Kori tried not to laugh at the high notes he hit at the end but Barbara did, stifling it behind her fist. When Henri's eyes scrambled over them, Kori stopped smiling but not because the situation wasn't funny anymore. It was because his eyes suddenly glazed over and he began to hyperventilate as he ran toward her.

"You would be perfect, darling, absolutely perfect!"

Kori opened her mouth to speak but found that she couldn't as she was dragged by the arm to the make up room where three people began trying to undress her. Kori quickly spluttered in surprise, not allowing any of them to touch her. Tired as they were, the woman handed her clothes and told her to go put them on in the bathroom if she was so shy. Kori blushed all the way to the bathroom and there, she attempted to fit into the smallest pair of jeans she had ever seen. She had to wiggle and jiggle to get into them and finally, when they did fir her, they fit her like a second ski, as if they had been painted on. The shirt was worse. Her breasts weren't huge but the bra inside the shirt pushed them together, making them seem like one entity in her chest. She came out shyly but she was quickly overcome by the two women and the men and they quickly started applying shadows, eyeliner, lipstick among other things to her face. She often tried to open her mouth to speak only to be shushed by Henri and the women who obsessively began applying lipgloss. She was pushed to the white screen with the rest of the models, her green eyes confused and searching for Babs. She huffed when she saw Barbara laughing at the sidelines and shrugged her shoulders when she noticed Kori's evil glare.

"What can I do?" she said helplessly but she was enjoying the whole thing immensely.

"All right, darling, you're a tiger," Henri began to say, already shooting away with his camera, "Act like a tiger for me. That's right, growl!"

It took all of Kori's willpower to not burst into laughter but the more they posed, the more excited Henri got. The flashing light kept her mystified, her pupils dilating every time the flash bulb flared.

Suddenly, they were to be lemurs, paddling along with the rest of the wildlife. No, now they were angels transcended from heaven when attacked by the devil himself. Now they ran away in fear, their wings flowing behind them.

"Perfect!" Henri exclaimed happily, "Now Kori, dear, show me those eyes, yes! Perfect. OH! Perfect position, stay there, stay!! Imagine the demon, IMAGINE."

For two long hours, they changed outfits and shot in different positions. Kori enjoyed herself thoroughly if only because of Henri. His exaggerated gestures and inflated cries of joy kept her spirits up even as she got tired. At the end of the photo session, Kori was kissed and hugged by the flamboyant man and was assured that with him, she would always have a job as a model. On the way home, Barabara did nothing to stop herself as she teased her mercilessly but even she could see that Kori had a knack for photos. She was extremely photogenic, to the point where it came most naturally to her. Still, Kori did not wish to do that any time soon. The makeup had been scrubbed off her face, leaving certain parts of her red and blotchy. She felt exhausted and the tight clothes had left marks on her body.

"I wish I had your boobs," Barbara commented on the picture, making Kori blush prettily. Richard met them on the steps of the mansion, greeting them warmly as they made their way inside. The day was still cold and the skies were cloudy. Richard didn't have to tell them that there was chance of a snow fall later that night; the sky said it all. Kori didn't speak as Barbara launched into the epic tale.

"I mean, the jeans fit her like a second skin but whoo! she pulled it off damn well!"

As Barbara moved on to the bathing suit Kori had been forced to wear, Richard's eye began to twitch, especially after Barbara commented on the lack of concealment the bathing suit provided. Kori just laughed timidly, wanting nothing more than to melt into the floor. Babs continued.

"There were some really hot guys there, weren't there Kori?"

Kori looked at her reproachingly. Now she was _trying_ to be mean.

"Really?" asked Richard and finally his eye returned to normal "You sure had a productive day."

Kori laughed. As she and Barbara said their good byes, she promised to come back to get her into deeper waters with Richard.

The afternoon was not a sunny one but it was still young and the day had a long time till it ended. Wordlessly, Richard took her hand and led her into his room, shutting the door behind him quietly. Kori had never been in his room before and she took her time to look around as Richard settled into his bed, letting her roam around. She lightly wondered what this was about.

"A bathing suit?" he asked with a grin in his face, "Are there any pictures I can see?"

She shook her head as her fingers traced a medal on his bookshelf. It read 'Overall Achievement in all classes" which led Kori to believe that she had not been wrong in thinking Richard was some sort of super genius.

"No pictures," she said with a smile, "But you have something better," she turned to grin at him, "You have me."

His raised eyebrow said it all. She turned back triumphantly and began looking at the photos. So many memories he kept in his bookcase that Kori couldn't begin to decipher them all. Trophies, awards, certificates lay piled on each other to make room for the pictures. There was one of Bruce and Alfred standing outside the mansion, looking happy as the sunny background glowed against them. Another picture of him with Batgirl, one arm around her waist while the other held up a peace sign; both were smiling contently. And then her fingers traced an older photo, one which held two people looking enamored as they glanced at each other. They wore colorful costumes as the man, powerfully built and muscular looked down lovingly on his wife, a smaller, more petite woman who looked up with the same love he held. She recognized them instantly though her eyes had never gazed upon them.

"Those are my parents," Richard said from behind her, taking the photo from her and gazing down upon them.

"I know," she said gently, "You have your mother's eyes," se signaled to his mother and then to his father, "And your father's mocking mouth.'

He took a long look at her and smiled, pushing a stray strand of red hair behind a well shaped ear.

"Have I kissed you today?"

She giggled when she felt his moist lips against her skin, teasing his way through the soft curves of her neck and running a finger down her spine. Her own nimble fingers pressed against the indentations on his sweater, feeling the lithe muscles wiggle beneath. She always enjoyed the reaction she got from him, someone she considered to be one of the most agile, strongest men alive and still, he was reduced to jelly with one of her touches.

Amazing, she pondered. The way his eyes slowly closed when her fingers traced the outline of his muscles in his arms, the ones that made her feel safe and comfortable even in the worst circumstances. He put the picture back on the shelf and steered her toward the bed, winding her arms around his neck to pick her up, earning a moan from her lips that vibrated through the sensitive part behind his ear. He growled at her kisses, an animalistic noise that only heightened her need for him. When he deposited her body on the bed and crawled on top of her, he could do nothing more about the need for her and the way his body seemed to explode with it.

And then a strange smell reached his nostrils. He panicked for a second, his body turning tense at the change of scent coming from Kori. She usually smelled like lilies of the valley, a clean and pure smell that drove him to the brink of insanity but this smell was new, strange. It wasn't bad, not at all, in fact as he looked down upon her worried face he realized the smell was actually making him uncomfortable but in a good way. The tension left his shoulders once he came to the conclusion that he wasn't re-living his dream but the tension was redirected someplace else, someplace in the southern regions of his body. Her eyes widened underneath him as she too realized the way he felt at the moment. It's not like she wasn't used to his lust for her by now but this one came rather quickly, unexpectedly really. He blushed like he used to do before when they had just started their relationship, a hot kind of blush that makes you feel like a sun burned potato. Kori pushed him off gently and he actually had to restrain himself from pushing her back against the bed and taking control of the situation.

"I am so sorry, Richard," she started, her eyes apologizing to a confused Richard.

"Nah, I should be apologizing…'

"No, you do not understand. Allow me to explain."

She sat Indian style in front of him and though Richard tried to focus his eyes on her face, they kept wandering to her chest where her simple green hooded revealed a small line of cleavage and he could only think about what lay under the soft, grass colored fabric that made the hoodie swell so magnificently….

"Richard!"

His head snapped back to her face, beet red by now but she merely smiled tauntingly at him.

"As I was trying to say, my Jar'hil has commenced."

"Your jar--?" he mumbled, pushing himself against the rail of his bed in order to get as far away from Kori's body as he could. Even her voice was attracting him to her though she sounded normal and spoke without a hint of desire. The smell coming from her was overwhelming him, to the point where it was the only thing he breathed in. It was sweet, like honey but there was an undertone of musk that drove him insane. He wanted to melt into her at the moment, just dissolve into her body and experience all the things that had been denied to them because of his duties all those solitary nights.

"It is like the menstrual cycles most Earth girls have," Kori continued and Richard made sure that he kept his mind on her words, "except ours seep into our bloodstream and we release a certain aroma that attracts our male counterpart. "

She looked at him through unsure eyes. He became extremely fidgety as she spoke as if he couldn't take the pressure anymore. She added hastily.

"You realize this means I am able to conceive at this time, yes? So we must be careful what we do."

"Of course," he said hurriedly, swallowing harshly as he spoke, "conceive."

Kori peered at him strangely but laughed nervously as he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, rubbing them hard as if he wanted to bore out the image of her body.

"Can you run that by me again?" he mumbled through his hands, shaking his head out of its reverie.

"We cannot do 'it' Richard, not for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" he squeaked, his voice breaking in the middle of his short sentence. Kori giggled and nodded.

"That's like, fourteen days!"

"Yes, Richard it is."

He sighed loudly, looking up at her with disheveled hair and flabbergasted eyes. He looked quite cute this way, almost childish in the way where he had been denied his favorite candy. In a desperate attempt to salvage his dignity, Richard cleared his throat and nodded, muttering that it was fine and they could do it. In order to keep his mind off _certain_ things, Kori decided they do something else, something that would keep their attention long enough to not remember they could not be _active_ in certain ways. Hand in hand, they made their way to the living room where they proceeded to annoy Alfred in many ways. Alfred, as dignified as he was, could never withstand the charm both of the teenagers had. While Richard always had a witty comeback to anything that was said, Kori merely laughed and her laughter was very infectious. In all, the two were good company to have while Alfred cleaned and attended his every day duties. When Bruce came back, he seemed to be in a good mood. He ate along with the rest, talking more than usually which was not much anyway. Whatever had been said between Batman and Robin was long over and now Richard and Bruce were conversing quite agreeably. It seemed to her that Bruce was still getting used to the fact that his protégé was a lot older now and his teasing over whatever Bruce did or say had a more comfortable tone to it. He was more surprised at how he outwardly acted toward Kori. During the meal, he and Kori would talk nonchalantly about a million things between them, things that Bruce couldn't really add anything to it, things that were just between them. Halfway through, he would pull at a strand of her hair and smile, right in front of Bruce. He pretended to be eating, of course, but never had Richard shown affection in front of him. The way he called her held a romantic undertone that Bruce easily caught and the smiles he gave her were never exaggerated, instead they were the softer kind, a light smirk or a grin.

After dinner, Bruce told Richard to have the night off which made Richard go purple in the face at the thought of a perfectly good night being spoiled. The images of how he wanted to spend the night away were shattered into dust, thanks to nature's little tricks, something Bruce noticed right away.

"Everything ok, chum?"

Richard nodded, his grim attention turning to something else for a moment. Bruce (or Batman for that fact) had not used 'chum' in a long time. That word had been said kindly when Richard was younger, just starting out as Robin. It had been used in rare moments, tender moments one might even say. It was a time when Robin would willingly wait for Batman's instructions and wouldn't even think of refusing orders. But now that Bruce said it, Richard found out that the tender timbre it had once held was still there.

"Yeah," he muttered miserably, thoughts of the night coming back to him, "Just peachy."

* * *

The night wasn't as cold as they thought it would be and the gentle snow wasn't so bad. Kori, who enjoyed the snow tremendously, asked Richard to accompany her to the roof. He agreed and brought warm blankets and pillows to be comfortable. The shingles on the roof were hard against their bodies but with a thick blanket under them and another one on top, they settled into the warmth inside the cocoon. The stars twinkled happily above them, beckoning them to their light. The moon was in a beautifully shaped crescent, white and splendorous against the inky sky. The light it shone with was enough for the two to be able to see the craters it held, like scars out of battle. Kori had a momentary thought that the moon had seen and heard a lot of things and that maybe those craters weren't craters but memories, happy ones and painful ones scarring the moon's otherwise beautiful features.

"My mother used to say that those who are dead are looking down upon us through the stars," Richard began softly, his eyes staring straight at the stars, "I always thought that dead people stayed dead and the thought of them looking down on me was terrifying."

He chuckled, blinking languorously through his eyelashes.

"Now it comforts me more than what my mother ever thought it would."

"Do they ever judge you?" Kori asked and though her question was just as soft as Richard's, the idea behind it made him turn his head to peer at her. Her profile was perfectly in view; an upturned nose, long dark eyelashes, and plump pink lips that were being bitten at the moment.

"I don't think so," he pondered, turning his head back at the stars, "Why would they?"

"Maybe if you do something wrong, they are there to shake their head at you and make you feel bad. It's like a parent reprimanding you."

She turned her head back at him.

"We have not had parents for long so how do we know what we do is right or wrong. Maybe it's them that tell us."

He hummed, thinking her theory through. The stars gave no opinion, taking no sides but they held the secret deep within them.

"Richard?"

He turned to stare straight at her eyes.

"You do realize that in reality the stars are planets millions of miles away, yes?"

A smile graced his lips. He told her he knew but it was interesting to think of the stars as entities. Comprehending, Kori nodded.

"Earth seems to need an explanation for everything," Kori commented wistfully, "Tamaran never required this."

"Hmm," he closed his eyes and breathed through his nose, "You still miss Tamaran?"

Kori nodded but realizing that he had his eyes closed, she mumbled a yes.

"It feels like such a long time ago since I was last there. I have not kept in contact with Galfore which makes me feel like—crap."

With his eyes still closed, he smiled at her use of the word.

"You can contact him through your communicator," he said lightly but he didn't want to talk about Tamaran. Those brought bad memories as well.

"Do you think you'll go back any time soon?"

Kori didn't speak for a while and for no real reason, Kori snuggled herself against Richard. The night wasn't overly cold and they were relaxed under the thick blanket but Kori didn't care and neither did Richard. Kori felt herself being lulled by his deep breathing and slowly, like a string being pulled from a knot, but his question resounded in her head.

"If they need me," she mumbled, clenching her eyes, "I would not want to go back by my own decision but Tamaran is still my responsibility."

Through a foggy haze inside his head, his mind registered her words and instinctively, his arm around her got tighter, earning him a groan from her lips as she was crushed by his protectiveness. She didn't care but wallowed in it. She wouldn't want to leave either. But she didn't have to worry about that. She had escaped whatever curse she had on her head last time and Tamaran _had _to be doing better.

Comforted by this thought, she let her conscious leave her.

* * *

This chapter and maybe event he next one are like the calm before the storm. And yes, I know, she forgave him AND she slept with him. Hey, wouldn't you?...if he was real and not a fictional character... 


	34. Chapter 34

Two chapters at once? What is this madness?

_

* * *

_

"Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story."

**--- Tolsoy**

Nights passed regularly at Wayne Manor with Kori feeling more and more restless with her life. She felt the need to do more than spend her time haunting the mansion or going shopping or living the life of a normal teenage girl. That was just not meant for her. Tonight was another Richard-less night, spent with worry consuming her in such a way that sleep was something far, far away. He was doing the night rounds alone that night since the night before, Batman had fallen off a cracked ledge in pursuit of yet another lunatic and hurt his back and hips. Unable to find a comfortable position on her gigantic bed, she put on her slippers and silently made her way downstairs. It was quite late by now but her footsteps were muffled by the carpet that covered the entire mansion. She made her way to the kitchen to warm herself a cup of milk and was busy buttering a bagel roll when she heard Mr. Wayne's expensive Bostonian Akron shoes thump against the carpet. She turned and smiled amiably at him, a smile he returned.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked her to which she responded with a shake of her head. He was still in his business clothes, a dark suit, tight and crisp and extremely uncomfortable, or so it seemed to Kori.

"Do you always work so late?" Kori asked softly, pushing the roll into the oven and turning on the heat. Mr. Wayne nodded, denying Kori's offer of a butter covered bun.

"Until what time will Ri—Robin be out?"

He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Until he deems it necessary."

Kori knew then that she would not be seeing him until the next morning. Bruce had paused, thinking about his next words. Then, quite unexpectedly, he started the strange conversation.

"How did you two meet?"

A little taken back, Kori stopped to think things through before answering him. The question had certainly come out of left field but she saw nothing bad in the question.

"I had just arrived on Earth," she started, deciding to leave some things out of the story, certain violent things, "And I was alone and scared. Robin was the first person to extend kindness to me."

"And you decided to join the Titans because of him?"

He was leaning against the doorway now, in the same way Richard does.

"Yes and because I had no other place to go."

Bruce Wayne was always known to be polite but she had a feeling that she wasn't talking to Bruce Wayne at the moment.

"What were you running away from?"

Kori took in a sharp breath and smelled the bun in the oven. She turned to retrieve it, taking this time to think things through. When the bun was out, she spoke tentatively.

"Who said I was running away from something?"

Mr. Wayne's face said it all, a 'what do you take me for?' look on his face.

"A young alien princess like you just happened to crash land on Earth and cause a huge commotion for nothing? Kori, there has to be something more."

The bun lay still on the plate and was now joined by the warm milk but neither of them was touched.

"Mr. Wayne, whatever there may be I do not feel like sharing at the moment."

Mr. Wayne nodded pensively. Kori found herself staring at the bun with loathing.

"Is there a particular reason why you do not like me, Mr. Wayne?"

Her question surprised him and not a lot of things did that. He had found that few people were direct to the point, much like Kori was at the moment.

"I do not exactly dislike you, Kori, you are a _very _likable person," he moved closer to her now, taking a seat on one of the stools in the island table. He was now in front of her but she kept her eyes on the plate. He continued.

"It's the influence you have on Richard that I don't like."

She raised her eyebrows with surprise.

"I do not have any influence over him, Mr. Wayne."

He shrugged his shoulders but being a well built man, this did not look like a nonchalant shrug a rebel adolescent gives; this one told her that he knew what he meant and he wouldn't take back the significance.

"Maybe you don't see it but I do. I notice everything, Kori," he added as afterthought.

"And just what kind of influence do I bestow upon him?" she asked curiously, her voice hinting at unbelief. What the man was saying was ridiculous, preposterous; Kori had no control over Richard's actions…

"The first time he worked with me after the Titans split, I saw it in his eyes. It was small but it grew quickly; a defiant glint that grew over the months that have passed. I don't like it."

His voice was low and serious but nothing about it was bullying, not even hostile. He was merely expressing what he saw. But the words he said, the explanation he told her was what got to her. It boiled her blood as she heard the words leave his lips.

"You are angered that Richard is thinking for himself?" she asked with astonishment, looking at Bruce with clearer eyes.

"There is a difference between thinking for oneself and being impulsive. Robin has turned into an impulsive fighter, something I always drilled in him _not _to be."

Bruce laced his fingers together, callous through all the years of fighting. His entire aura slowly revolved around him, an aura of someone who was neither Batman nor Bruce Wayne. For a moment, that was all Kori could see. For all her years being Raven's friend, she remembered one thing her friend had told her many years ago. She said that one's aura was every color in the rainbow because we all felt sad, happy, angry, and any other emotion in between at any time in our lives. It was when a person had only one shade that you should worry or at least be cautious of that person. At the moment, all Kori could see from the man in front of her was a deep shade of blue and nothing more.

"Through his years with the Titans," he continued and Kori had to mentally shake herself, "he and I kept in contact enough for me to get the gist of what happened in those four years. I know about Slade, I know about the Brotherhood, and I know that he built great leadership skills with the team. When he left the mansion, he was looking for something new, something_ he_ could be proud of and no one else. He found that with the Titans."

He looked at her closely, his cobalt eyes piercing through her.

"The Titans are done. He needs to understand this isn't kid's stuff anymore."

Kori frowned heavily, her lips parted ever so slightly.

"Who said that the things we went through was kid's stuff?" she asked in a low voice, enough to match his own in gravity, "When Robin was blackmailed by Slade, that was not kid's stuff. Slade could have killed us or worse still he could have taken over Robin completely. The Brotherhood aimed their hatred at the younger generation of superheroes, Mr. Wayne that was _certainly_ not kid's stuff."

She sighed, almost scoffed at his comment.

"You make it sound like we didn't do anything. Like all the injuries and the tears and the lost friends didn't mean anything."

She pushed her plate aside, suddenly not hungry but she did want to get her point across to the man.

"What you do not wish to realize is that Richard is no longer the Robin you knew. He has grown, developed into someone else. We all have. But since that doesn't fit into your Batman schema, you wish to make him feel as if he has done something wrong in flourishing into his own person."

He didn't say anything as she spoke, her words becoming harsher with honesty to the point where they actually sounded cruel. Bruce took a moment to lace his fingers together before speaking. The atmosphere had suddenly turned dark, as if someone had come in and dimmed the lights. His voice became lower in volume but it held everything it needed to hold.

"Gotham is no place for this new Robin. He needs to follow my orders to survive," he looked up to her, his handsome face lighted by the moon outside but as the clouds moved in, his face was thrown in shadow. He continued.

"When Robin just started out, he and I went against Two-face, a criminal who has a sick obsession with the number two. He captured me and a district attorney and suspended us from a hangman noose. It was the first time Robin had to make a decision by himself but I knew he couldn't. I knew such a decision could not be taken without knowing all the facts. The facts were that Two-Face has a bi-polar tendency, meaning his two personas were both influencing him and his obsession with the number two always lingered in him. I yelled at him to let me go first and I would take care of the rest but Robin decided to save the attorney, despite my warnings. He thought I wanted to take the credit for the mission. He cut the man's rope loose with a Bat-a-rang but he forgot about what kind of criminal Two-face was. It was a two fold plan. The floor had a secret opening and the attorney fell through. The attorney died on impact and Robin received the beating of his life at Two-face's hands."

He sighed, unwinding his fingers and leaving them to rest on the marble top.

"He's never gotten over that and from then on, he has followed my instructions ever since," he looked up at her, serious gaze fixed upon her, "One cannot be allowed to run wild in such a place where psychotic criminals are running loose all over."

Kori swallowed gently. Her head reeled with the new found information and she wondered just how much Robin had suffered throughout the years. Certainly this was one of many tragic stories Robin had encountered in his young life. But Robin was gone, Kori thought. Robin was happier now. He wasn't as morose as he used to be. He laughed a lot, he joked around, he openly showed affection for her even when Bruce was around. She was certain he was caught between Robin and…well, Kori knew who else.

"I know for a fact hat you are an intelligent man, Mr. Wayne," she started slowly, choosing her words carefully, "but you don't seem to realize that Richard cannot remain Robin for the rest of his life."

Bruce raised a luxuriant eyebrow.

"He will grow. He will change even more and nothing you can do can stop it. Whoever he changes into, rest assured, I will be there for him to accept him and to urge him forward."

She looked pointedly at him.

"Perhaps you should be there for him as well."

Eyes narrowing, Bruce studied her for a moment before nodding, as if agreeing with her words. Kori knew he wasn't. Without a word, Bruce got up from the stool and began to walk out of the kitchen. Before he reached the door, he turned around, his attractive profile coming into view.

"You room has been beeping for the last couple of minutes," he told her before exiting. Kori frowned at his words and decided to go check. Her eyes glanced at the bun and the glass of milk but she didn't feel hungry anymore. Unwilling to throw it away, she wrapped it up in Saran wrap and took the food upstairs, hoping she would get hungry later. Her head buzzed with the strange conversation. At least she knew why Mr. Wayne didn't like her. Her feelings were hurt, of course, to have her boyfriend's parent hate her. She knew then she needed to get out of the mansion and start her own life. Where she would start, she didn't know but Richard would be there to help her. Kori knew the feelings of dislike went deeper than Mr. Wayne had led her to believe. Kori had seen the future. She knew who Robin would become but she hated to think it would be in such a way. She had hoped he merely outgrew the role of the Boy Wonder, not have all this baggage thrown on him. Mr. Wayne was certainly making it harder than it already was.

As she neared her room, she heard the sound Mr. Wayne had told her about. She quickly stepped inside and deposited the food on the table, her ears searching for the sound. It was loud but muffled by something. She looked into the closet and the noise became clearer. It hit her then that it sounded like her communicator. It was one of the only things left she had from the Titans but she didn't know any of them used it still. She scavenged through her belongings and after a couple of tossed shirts and underwear, she found what she was looking for.

Opening it, the communicator calmed down and stopped beeping. The red light on top still blinked but only to warn her that she had a message in store since two hours ago. She sat down on the closet floor and eagerly pressed a couple of buttons, wondering who had left her a message. The conversation she had with Mr. Wayne was still fresh in her mind but no longer held as much rawness as it had done a few seconds. The excitement over the new found message was overwhelming her. Finally, she played the invoice she had been so enthusiastic to hear.

It was Galfore.

* * *

Kori traveled to the city late at night in one of the motorcycles that Richard owned. She wore no helmet and with the wind whipping past her it was then she truly missed her hair. She had no idea where she was going but she needed to get away as soon as possible. Too many thoughts went through her head, confusing her and saddening her to no belief. Her eyes welled with tears but they did not fall. The scenery around her was somber and right out of a terror movie. The thick trees allowed no moonlight through and the only sources of luminosity were the two headlights on the motorcycle. For miles and miles, she rode in silence, through murky forests where stories of monsters were born. Any moment, she thought felt tendrils of shadows and of those long since gone would reach her; her sister would be one of them. Sinister memories replayed in her head, their timing great with how she felt at the moment. Silhouettes and outlines betrayed her sight while her mind merely told her she was imagining things. She never feared ghosts or supernatural things since she had never truly given it any thought but she soon found out why such stories were so terrifying. Her mind played tricks on her, not helping her current conditions. Yet she forged on ahead, ignoring the prickly feelings on her spine. 

And then the menacing, disturbing forest gave way to the city, like dark curtains opening to give birth to the sun. Suddenly the city lights bursts in her face, momentarily blinding her with its radiance. She rode through the loud streets, full of people laughing, cursing, arguing, and everything in between. Signs for sneakers and other useless things bore into her skull but she tried not to pay attention. Her head became even more abundant with contemplations. She shook her head and in doing so, her motorcycle swerved to her right violently. She let out a startled yell as she gripped the handles tightly to the point where her knuckles went white but not nearly as white as her face. She managed to stop the motorcycle enough to just hit the light pole on the corner of the street, scaring a couple of people on the way. Still, she dismounted from the motorcycle without harsh injuries and apologized profusely to the people around her. Dragging the bike with her inhuman strength, she stored it away in some back alley and chose to walk the rest of the way. It was not as if she needed a vehicle to take her back to Wayne Manor.

She walked for hours it seemed. Her feet began to ache but she did not hesitate in continuing. She needed this time to think, to weigh her options, and lastly to regret her decision. Breathing out puffs of white, she walked by an alley that smelled like stale drinks and other awful things. She heard an old man's rattle reach her ears and she turned around. Hidden in the shadows, Kori peered at the covered man, a quilt thrown over him. He coughed loudly as his hand waved at her to come. Kori hesitated and was about to turn around when he called to her again. With uncertain eyes, Kori walked to the man and tried to examine him through the darkness that seemed to surround this city. Without meaning to, she had walked right into the part where Richard had distinctively told her not to set foot in.

The man seemed nice enough as she came closer to him, asking her for some charity. She apologized but she recovered when she remembered the sandwich in her purse. He took it appreciatively and started unwrapping it, his purple hat tipping to hide his face from view. Suddenly he stopped to glance at her closely and gave what sounded like a death rattle. He had laughed.

"Chil'," he clattered noisily, "You are that beauty who has graced this city that everyone's talking about."

She blushed slightly. Suddenly, she had become no one more than Dick Grayson's girlfriend and though she had been ok with it at first, after a while, she got very weary of it.

"You are very lucky to be in cahoots with the rich folk," he said with amusement in his voice, shaking his shadowed face in agreement, "What's someone like you doing around this part of town?"

"I—I am lost," she lied, pulling on her short hair nervously, "but I called someone and they are coming to see me…"

"Good for you," he rattled and started to cough so hard it sounded more like a hysterical laugh than anything else. He continued to do so until Kori felt uncomfortable and started to walk away.

"Just one more thing, beautiful, before you go," the old man said loudly and he raised himself with great effort to walk up to her. Kori cringed as he came closer, knowing very well she could defend herself but she wanted to avoid the trouble.

"To repay your kindness, I would like to tell you a joke," he said and slowly his abrasive voice changed to a mirthful, almost excited voice. He raised his head and his purple hat gave way to his face where she saw a huge grin grace the man's blood red lips, his eyes as wild as his grin. His yellow eyes looked like those of a cat but they held a kind of insanity that she had never seen before. A red glint appeared in them, softly taunting those who came close, winking them to their deaths. His face was ghostly white and long, filled with wrinkles all over his lips from the effort of his huge smile. Green hair hung like a mop on top of his head, reaching all around his exaggerated pointed chin. Such a combination made her gasp in horror.

"Stop me if you heard this one before. There's this guy who lives in Arkham Asylum but one day he decides he doesn't want to live there anymore…"

* * *

Damn it Gal, leave Kori alone. As for the last character we just met...I couldn't help myself. I have dug myself into a pit I cannot get out of. yay :( 


	35. Chapter 35

Joker's funny! I love his twisted mind and how it works!

* * *

_"The urge towards love, pushed to its limits, is an urge toward death."_

**---Marquis de Jade**

_"All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day. You had a bad day once. Am I right? You had a bad day and everything changed."_

**– Joker, _Batman: The Killing Joke_**

"So what you have so far?"

The black chair swirled around several times, its hinges creaking slightly. When he had just started as Robin, he had enjoyed this chair as if it had been the most wonderful thing created. Perhaps it was because sitting next to the Dark Knight was something incredible in it itself or because sitting next to him made him feel like an equal. He never knew nor he ever tried to figure it out. In those days, Robin and Batman lived to their name of the Dynamic Duo, fighting off evil in Gotham City, flying off into the night like shadows amongst the clouds. Now, they were drastically different, so much that they couldn't help but notice it in each other every second of the day. Their sense of justice was drastically different and Robin would bet his life that Batman had known this from the beginning. Batman persisted in being only Batman; Bruce Wayne being the bothersome ego that came along with the superhero territory. For Robin, it was the other way around. He liked being Richard, he liked having friends he could depend on, he liked having Kori by his side. Still, as he sat next to Batman and watched him type away a million miles per hour on his computer, he couldn't help but notice some of the similarities they shared. They were both incurably hard headed. Most fights were because they were so opinionated on countless of things, most of the useless arguments about worthless subjects. Another trait they shared was one Robin worked very hard to improve at; getting caught up in their work.

"Ras Al Ghul wouldn't send those creatures without a reason," Batman stated pensively, "And especially not through _her_."

"Who's her?" Robin asked as he looked at the image of Ras Al Ghul on the computer. He was an older man, perhaps in his fifties but the man could fight like he was in his early twenties. In fact, Robin was pretty sure he could beat the living crap out of Batman himself which was something _no one_ in the world could say (yes, not even Superman himself). His face was like that of a wolf, pointed and wise with years of experience and mistakes. His hair was tinged with white around the sides but the look made him seem even more intelligent. Robin wasn't sure just what their relationship was but like everything Batman related he was sure it was extremely complicated.

"Ras' daughter," he grumbled deeply and her picture came up, "Talia."

Talia was an exotic looking woman with dark, soulless eyes and luscious lips that seemed to be lust incarnated. Her eyes held no feelings and though her face was beautifully shaped, it held a hardness that Robin had never seen in a woman. Long straight hazel hair fell against her face and if it wasn't for the bitterness in her eyes, she would have made an attractive person.

"Didn't you have something with—"

Batman's look cut him off. He had learned with the Catwoman incident to keep his mouth shut when it came to Batman's love interests. Still, a snicker rose into his throat but he swallowed it back, coughing slightly to cover it up.

"So what do they want? I'm sure they didn't drop by to say hello to an old friend."

Batman continued to stare at her picture, hidden eyes looking hard at the screen. For a moment, Robin thought of leaving him and the picture alone, the intensity in Batman was that high.

"Whatever their planning, it can't be good for Gotham," he paused, glancing at the screen as it showed all major areas of the city, "They have access to all the main power vaults in Gotham and for some reason, the code keeps getting overridden."

"His work," piped in Robin with a nod.

"Or hers."

Batman continued to type away and Robin, having nothing to do since Batman took over the computer, he began to spin around in his chair. A few moments passed by.

"I've been meaning to ask," started Batman suddenly but with a sense that they had been conversing all this time, "You've told Kori all about these villain in the city?"

Robin nodded, counting them off on his fingers.

"Two-face, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Joker---all accounted for."

"And she knows not to take them on herself, right?"

Robin sighed.

"I told her."

With a nod, they lapsed back into silence. The sound of keys typing and bats screeching comforted his ears. It was a familiar soundtrack. Bored, Robin pressed a couple of buttons on the computer and began to stretch his muscles as steel doors opened on the far side of the Batcave. He jumped a couple of times and walked over to the back of the cave. There, he waited patiently for the machines to come out. A red dot appeared, reminding him of Cyborg for a moment before it began to shoot at him, something Cyborg certainly did not do. At least five times his height, the white steel machine began to attack with preordained motions. Robin did not hesitate once as he took out his staff and used it to catapult himself on the machine's back. His whoop of joy rebounded off the cave walls as the machine tried to shake him off but he only hung on tighter. He had practiced with this equipment for so long that he knew exactly how to disengage them, even when Batman changed their wiring around.

"How are things going between you two?"

Batman's echoed question caught him off guard. Robin looked up in surprise and in that second of a moment, the machine shook violently and he fell to the floor with a hard thump. Without mercy, one of the machine's steel arms came down where he lay but swiftly, Robin jumped out of the way, landing like a cat a few feet away from the offending arm. Two bat-a-rangs later, the machine was left missing two of its arms.

"Um…random much?" he breathed through his nose as he twirled around the remaining two arms. Head back, arch back, lift leg and jump. Once on top of the steel arm, he ran across its length and stuck the staff in one of the joints and pushed with all his might. Knowing very well he couldn't dislocate it, he placed a couple of small explosives in the joint before the other arm came across him, swiping the top of his head. With a yell, Robin cart wheeled off the arm, adding a couple of maneuvers in the air for his own entertainment.

"I'm interested," Batman explained, not once turning to see his protégé do the most amazing tricks. He knew very well just what Robin was capable of.

"Since when?" he groaned as he landed deftly and dramatically swirled his staff around as the machine, without hands, was left defenseless. With two well placed bat-a-rangs, he cut off the legs and heard the machine fall behind him as he walked back to Batman, letting out a 'whoo!' through his lips.

"Well?" Batman asked.

"Well—" Robin started strangely and longingly remembered his last meeting with her, "Well, we're ok."

"Just ok?"

Robin looked around nervously. His mind was registering what Batman was saying but some other parts of him wanted to get lost in the memory. It hadn't been long at all and yet he was still reeling over the fact that he had to wait two weeks to even get near her without turning into a horny teenage boy.

"Yeah…no, we're good."

Batman tore his eyes from the screen to give him a look before returning his attention back.

"Good?"

"Quit fishin," Robin growled, snapping his head back to reality when he heard his tone, "Get to the point."

"There's no point," Batman said with a shrug, "Can't I ask?"

"No," Robin laughed, "Not without wanting to know something specific."

Batman paused before speaking once more. His mind was always in more than one place at once and though at the moment he was trying to figure out why Ras Al Ghul had come back to Gotham, where Talia was at the moment, and why had she looked at him the way she had done before, he was also trying to figure out what was happening between his ward and the alien princess.

"Dick, it may not seem like it to you but I do care about what happens to you," he started carefully, choosing his words correctly, "And I don't want to see you get hurt."

Robin narrowed his eyes but not out of anger or resentment but out of trying to figure out what he meant. Robin was not stupid. He acknowledged the fact that Batman knew a lot more about the world than he did but he also knew that his instincts almost never failed him. His instincts screamed out for Kori.

"How could I get hurt?" he asked simply, honestly trying to figure it out. Batman's eyes maintained looking at the screen, the woman unmoving as she gazed back from the photo, but Batman was no longer typing. In fact, he seemed to be staring at the image blankly. Finally, after a pause (a habit of Batman's that Robin had long gotten used to) he spoke once more and resumed typing.

"When you're in this business, you can't afford to have any strings attached to you," he started, scratching the five o'clock shadow on his chin which made Robin wonder when the last time he must have slept was.

"You have strings," Robin pointed out which made Batman's eye twitch slightly, "You have Batgirl, you have Alfred, you have me…"

He didn't say anything which made Robin take a breather and swallow.

"Besides, she can take care of herself. She's not some damsel in distress, you know. She's had a lot of shit thrown in her way and she's handled it perfectly fine."

"You don't think there's anything wrong in that?" Batman asked, finally turning to look at Robin, "I seem to recall that she accidentally killed someone in her planet during a duel."

Robin's brows came together. He didn't want to be reminded of that.

"She finally ended up destroying one of your worst adversaries and ended up dying herself in the end."

Robin bit his lip and his eyes fell to the floor as if something heavy came down upon them. He definitely did not want to remember that event.

"And yet she's still the same happy-go-lucky girl she's always been," Batman laced his fingers together like a psychiatrist telling his patient exactly what was wrong with him, "You don't think there's anything wrong with that?"

Robin didn't speak. He didn't know what to say. He had never thought of it that way. He had been so happy that she was alive that he had completely ignored the fact that she carried taken lives in her conscience. He wondered if _she_ even knew what was going on through her mind. Maybe she was repressing it. Could that be why she had thrown herself into battle with the man-bats so fiercely?

"When you left her planet," Batman continued, "did she resolve everything she needed to resolve?"

"Yes," Robin answered quickly, "She gained her freedom from the Gordanians."

Batman nodded thoughtfully.

"You don't think that the Gordanians might be angered by the fact that one of their prized possessions got away so easily?"

"She was not their possession," Robin growled automatically but then reposed to think about his words.

"What I'm trying to say, Dick, is that she brings unnecessary problems with her and with her attitude, it just makes it more difficult on her and on you."

Robin's head snapped up, looking at Batman with angered eyes.

"Friendship deems it important for friends to trust each other with even the darkest secret and Kori is foremost and always my friend first. I don't care if she has the entire weight of the universe on her shoulders—she's still the most important thing to me."

Batman turned his head to look at him from head to toe, as if he was inspecting the level of truth in him. Robin stared willfully back. When he was satisfied, Batman turned back.

"That's not to what I was getting. What I am trying to warn you about is that, with all the problems on her she'll have no choice but to make a hard decision that might not be in her or your own best interest."

Robin shook his head, irritated.

"What are you getting at?" he all but shouted but his question was lost when the Bat signal started to go off. Batman quickly disregarded everything between him and Robin as he checked the computer. Already Robin was also getting ready, eager to take out some of the frustration on the stupid criminal who decided to commit a crime at the very moment. The screen behind him flickered to show Commissioner Gordon's grave face on screen.

"Batman, turn to channel two," he said worriedly, his glasses flashing against the light. The screen with Gordon turned small as it traveled to the left of the screen and the remaining part of the monitor turned to channel two. Joker's smiling face flashed in front of them, his inhuman eyes twinkling happily like a child in a candy store. His blood red lips turned upwards so exaggeratedly that it looked like it hurt. His pale face and purple hat were the unmistakable signs of Batman's greatest foe and one of the most dangerous villains ever to walk in their lives.

"Welcome to 'Save my Smile' fundraiser here on channel deux!" the Joker exclaimed with a crazed giggle, "We have an expert team sitting by the phones to take your call," the camera panned to the right where a single sad looking clown sat idle by a pink phone in the form of heart before panning back to the Joker, "Any donation will be welcomed and appreciated, of course," he added and the sum of a six million dollars flashed at the bottom of the screen, "and it's tax deductible!"

Joker began to walk back and on the background there was a large, rusty tank bubbling green liquids. It seemed to be a warehouse but there were so many in Gotham that neither Robin nor Batman could figure out where exactly. The place was decorated as if there was a birthday party with balloons and banners and confetti flying down from the roof. Even through the transmition, they could see that the place was highly secured and knowing Joker, he had a few tricks hidden in there for Batman. Joker continued to cackle.

"Why should you pay this sum, you ask? Well, I'm not asking you to pay. I'm demanding that lovely, pretty boy Bruce Wayne pays this charitable donation," he waved his finger at the screen, "I have the perfect negotiable trade."

He nodded to his right and the camera turned upward where a pretty girl was suspended in the air by metal chains around her wrist. She was awake but she didn't look nervous or scared. In fact, she seemed to be looking dead ahead to something, deep in thought. Under her, the green bubbles were hissing at her, calling her to them. Red pixy hair shine brilliantly even through the screen and her bright green eyes maintained their gaze.

"I believe Mr. Wayne is missing a possession in his super trillion dollar, thirty thousand roomed mansion."

His hyena like laughter filled the space as Robin gasped quietly behind Batman.

"I suggest the money be here by three o'clock this morning or else I might have to add her as an apprentice to Harley Quinn."

The camera moved to Harley, her face sour as she shot a dirty look at Kori. She 'humphed' as she crossed her arms, her harlequin jester costume bright against the screen.

"I think we should just kill her, Mr. J," she squeaked in, lashing her tongue out at Kori, her eyes jealous as she looked upon the Joker.

"She's not so special after all…"

"Quiet," came Joker's stern voice off screen, "I told you not to discuss that now."

"But puddin'—"

The camera traveled across to Joker as he glared at Harley but quickly recovered, smiling once again for his viewers.

"Remember Brucey my boy, you only have until three. See ya!"

The screen flickered to a background with the Looney Tunes famous opening title with Joker smack dab in the middle.

The Commissioner returned to full screen again, his face as worried as that of Robin's.

"I'm coming," said Batman shortly. Gordon nodded and signed off. Immediately, Batman stood up, his cape flying behind him as he walked away from the computer. Robin began to follow but Batman's hand stopped him.

"Stay here."

Robin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?" he deadpanned.

"You're too involved in this situation. You might do something rash."

Batman continued to walk away, leaving Robin behind with a deadly look on his face.

"I'm coming with you," Robin argued, walking behind Batman and trying to steady his nerves and his anger.

"I said no," Batman repeated, his tone louder and livid.

"I don't care…"

"NO!"

His shout echoed through the cave, making the bats scatter noisily around him, draping him in their wings. Robin stood back, shocked by his response as Batman turned around and walked away, the bats following their master willingly, his cape rustling like a snake in the darkness. With a single leap, he landed in his car and brought it to life, closing the lid of the vehicle and speeding away into the tunnel connecting the cave to the city. In a second, Robin was left in the dark with only the picture of Joker laughing to keep him company.

* * *

Kori smiled. 

_"Yes, Beast Boy, I have more than one stomach."_

_"Weird," Beast Boy breathed out, peering at her curiously, "What do they do?"_

_Kori cocked her head at him._

_"Does your stomach not digest?"_

_"Well, yeah but I only have one. Do all of yours digest?"_

_Kori laughed and nodded._

_"Dude, that's cool!"_

Kori wondered what Beast Boy was doing at the moment. The clown to her right was way below her but she could see him playing solitaire, a game that Beast Boy could never win at. She remembered his arguments against himself, speaking to no one in particular but it was something that made Raven look at him and shake her head. Cyborg used to tease him mercilessly.

"Grass stain, you need brain power for that game," he used to say, folding his arms with a smirk on his face to which Beast Boy would reply that that's the reason why played it.

Where were they now?

The metal binds on her wrists were tight but they didn't hurt. Compared to what the Gordanians had used on her, they gently caressed her skin. Still, she made it seem as they had hurt when they had first tied it. She remembered Richard telling her that she was Kori and no one else here. As Starfire, she could have easily blasted her way out of here but she couldn't. She was in damsel in distress mode. She found herself being lifted into the air right on top of a vat of green liquid, something she knew was not good sign but again she was not fearful. None of this presented a problem for her; not the bad guys, or the strange liquids, or Joker's announcement that she was going to die regardless of whether Bruce Wayne paid the money.

What would Mr. Wayne think? No doubt this was another thing he found wrong with her. She was yet in another mess but she didn't consider this a problem and she was sure that Mr. Wayne knew that she wasn't in any trouble. IF the worst happened, she could easily escape using her powers. She knew Mr. Wayne would only be upset at the circumstance but Batman would be furious, completely livid at her. She sighed deeply. What a conundrum she was in. She could hear Joker's voice from below as he argued with who Kori thought was his lover. She didn't find this strange at all. Even crazy loons needed love; in fact, she often thought that with someone to love, most of them would be better off but then again, she was a romantic.

The woman in the jester outfit adored him, she knew that much. The way she called out to him was out of pure adoration but at the same time, when she had turned to look at Kori, her eyes had filled with hatred and jealousy, so much that madness had burned in her irises, lighting them with fire. Kori noticed that the Joker, capable of unspeakable things, had a certain tone with the woman called Harley. He spoke to her in gentler tones though coming from him, it didn't sound like much of a difference. Still, he showed more patience with her and he seemed to truly enjoy arguing with her. Maybe Kori couldn't see him truly being in love with the woman as far as risking himself or putting her before him; it was too much to ask from someone like him but she could see that he was slowly, little by little opening up to something resembling care for her.

Had Slade someone he loved? Kori swallowed the lump that suddenly, out of nowhere, formed in her throat. She felt heavier just by thinking of Slade. He had brought them nothing but sorrow and tears, anger and hatred, had turned them against each other countless of time and had even brought a fellow Titan to her death but still… she was no one to have killed him. She hadn't murder him; murder required deliberate planning, a premeditation of how to go about murdering someone. Kori had accidentally killed Slade; she wasn't thinking at all about how to make him suffer or how to exactly take away his life. All she had on her mind back then was to end the period of pain that had been thrown at her. She remembered thinking she wanted to be back at the Tower with Robin beside her, watching movies with the Titans and laughing at the antics of those in the television. She just wanted to end it all.

Is that why Mr.Wayne deemed her unstable? Because not only had she killed an arch enemy but she had also taken the lie of her own sister? The Titans' moral code was never to kill and she knew Batman felt the same way, no matter who the criminal was or how many horrible things they had done. They never killed. Yet, Kori had killed two enemies of the Titans single-handedly. And the weight of those lives was on her shoulders ever single day. Was she a bad person? Would she be doomed to spend her life in this living hell?

Another conundrum was added to her mind. Galfore had contacted her that night. She gulped again at the memory of his face. Once upon a time, Galfore had been quite the strapping handsome man. His wild hair, fiery green eyes, and tall muscular demeanor had gotten him a lot of attention from women until one day he met the love of his life. He had a truly happy life once, like all fairy tales. He was a high member of the Royal court, a K'norfka to the princess and heirs to the throne. The love of his life had agreed to marry him and they had lived in happy glory for a long time. And then Kori (whom he saw as his daughter) was sent off into slavery and his wife contracted an illness and passed away. Suddenly, things changed drastically to the point where he became High Ruler, something he never had thought of to aspire or even wanted to hope for.

When his message had come across, Kori had gasped at how he looked. His hair had lost its entire luster. Tamaranian hair did not turn grey, unlike humans but the brilliance was gone from both his mane and his eyes. He looked simply defeated, tired and hurt from what life had handed him. Unlike any other time, he had called for help, something Kori _knew, _simply _knew, _he wouldn't do unless he truly needed it. The war had flourished into something magnificent, he had explained to her, and Tamaran could no longer handle it with the small amount of allies they had. They needed her to form alliances. Kori had to stop herself form sobbing right in front o her kidnappers but her heart broke as she remembered his face. It had been one of pure sadness and grievance.

"It is unfair to ask you this," he had murmured, "I feel as if I am using you, much like your father did but I see no other option."

Kori had sent a message back to him with her response immediately.

Her legs moved back and forth in a careless manner, like she was extremely bored and had nothing better to do. She sincerely hoped Robin and Batman would come quickly. All this time in her hands was making her think too much and she felt if she continued this way, she would not be able to stop.

* * *

The Joker was extremely intelligent but sometimes, little details went unnoticed by him. He had the entire warehouse surrounded by guards and the doors and windows were laced with explosives. His hyenas were patrolling the halls as well as the clowns he hired to keep a look out. In all, the area was very secure. No wonder the Joker had been so confident that Batman would either not be able to defeat him or get hurt trying. But the small detail Joker had not counted on was the inner passages of the building that could be easily reached through the potholes on the nearest street. Traveling through the sewer of Gotham was not the best thing Batman ever had to do but it got him under the warehouse safe. The route was long, giving him enough time to work out some sort of plan but he had to be ready for the unexpected. Joker was sure to give him a surprise or two. He climbed through the ventilation; the space was small and cramped, especially for a big man like him but he managed. Through that route, he found himself right on top of the scene. The glass dome on top of the room was a perfect entrance, unguarded and without any tricks. 

With a jump, he fell through the glass roof, sending shards of sharp glass all around him. He landed like a cat, on his feet and rose to his full length, the cape draping around him like a liquid. The ever present scowl was on his face as he looked at Joker who rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Have you ever heard of a door?" he asked Batman incredulously who gave him no response.

His cackle filled the air as his henchmen began to fire at him. With agility, Batman plunged and leapt away from the gunshots, fluidly moving to hit one man after the other. He didn't need to use any weapons against them; his body was more than enough. With one hand, he side swiped a man on his head, effectively knocking him out for at least three hours. The man on his left aimed a kick at his head but Batman plunged to the floor and swiped his leg right under him. The man groaned as he fell and through the pain he heard his companion yell something and land right on top of him, knocking the remaining air out of his lungs. Three men came at Batman, each with either a gun or a chain. The man with the chain flung it at him but Batman's hard gloves gave him protection against the full impact of the chain. It rolled around his forearm and he pulled it with all his might, making the man dive straight unto Batman's waiting fist. The two men started to shoot but by then, Batman had leapt into the air and landed with a leg straight on one man while his bat-a-rang swung at the other. The henchmen officially defeated, Batman turned to face Joker who looked displeased.

"Spoilsport," he said with a sigh and stuck his tongue out at him. Batman began to walk toward him but Joker started to hum teasingly, shaking a small remote in his hands.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he sung happily, "Pretty girl there is going bye-bye if you do."

Then he looked around him with expectant eyes. He even looked under his sleeves and into his shirt.

"But—" he mumbled with exaggerated befuddlement, "Where's the bird? Did papa bat and baby bird have a little falling out?"

"Money's not what you want," Batman started, walking closer to Joker still, "You don't give a damn about money."

"That's not entirely true," Joker said, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Now I may not be swimming in money but I do have my smoochy poo to take care of, isn't that right?"

"Of course, Mr. J," Harley piped in from next to the tank, something Batman noticed immediately, "It's meanies like Bat dung here that make me sad when I can't get that pretty diamond necklace I've wanted…"

"See?" Joker asked with an air of pompousness, "You're making my Harley sad and that's something I won't stand for."

Then he clicked his tongue against his lip as he continued to walk back from Batman.

"But you are right, batty. The reason I planned this whole heist is simple. I missed our little battles."

He chuckled, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.

"It's been too long. What—two months now?"

He tutted.

"Too, too long."

"Let her go," Batman droned, looking dead at him through shrouded eyes. His tone meant no nonsense.

"Ok!"

And Joker pressed the button on the remote. He heard the chains snap behind him as he lunged for the Joker who was already running away from him, his maniac laughter traveling all around the warehouse. From the right, a door opened in time and the young hero spotted Kori falling into the vat and a scream shot out of his mouth. A flash of red, green, and yellow blurred across the room but Harley was waiting there and with a back kick, she efficiently hit Robin's jaw, sending him flying backwards.

"That must have hurt," she said meanly, cracking her knuckles against her leg.

"Not as much as this," he muttered and threw a bat-a-rang at her, effectively swiping her temple and knocking her out. With Harley out of the way, Robin threw a grappling hook toward the ceiling and prayed that Kori was floating somewhere inside the tank. When he flew upward, he caught a glimpse of her hovering safely inside the vat. He landed on the edge, sighing deeply with relief. He watched as her eyes widened with terror as Harley jumped from behind him, a dried line of blood marking down from her temple, and kicked him inside the vat. With a yell, he fell inside but not before sending a kick back straight into Harley's stomach, knocking her from the edge of the tank to the other side. They heard her scream of "ow!" as she fell to the floor.

Kori flew far enough to catch him in her arms, greeting him with heavy eyes. She flew them to the edge and placed Robin safe on the small rim. She pretended Robin pulled her from that very edge. They couldn't afford having a connection between them as superheroes, not while Batman was here anyway. But Batman was no where to be found, something Robin didn't find uncommon. When it was Batman against the Joker, not even Robin wanted to be part of it. Their sick connection to one another was one of the things Robin couldn't begin to comprehend when he was younger though now, after facing his own villains such as Slade, he had a fine idea of what the links between them could be. Still, Robin washed his hands clean of that matter.

Suddenly, the vat started to turn, threatening to spill all the green liquid directly on Robin and Kori. Still holding her stomach and grimacing, Harley muttered some obscenities at Robin before running after the Joker and disappeared through the smashed metal door.. The rest of the henchmen prepared to fire at the couple, aiming high and precise. Robin linked his arm around Kori's waist and with his grappling hook, he shot off into the roof.

"Grab on," he muttered to her and she did. As they traveled through the air, he used his free hand to throw a couple of smoke bombs unto the floor but out of fear, the men started to fire aimlessly. Out of bad luck, one bullet happened to hit the cord of the grappling hook and they began to fall. Covered by the smoke, Kori risked getting caught and floated them unto the ground. There, the men were waiting for them, guns aimed and ready but a team, Kori and Robin decided to fight them off. Kori took Robin's wrist and swung him to the nearest man, his leg straight out to hit his chest to which he did, knocking him backwards. With the same momentum, he jumped unto the next man's head and balanced himself to stretch out his other leg to hit the clown behind him. He jumped into the air again as the two confused men looked around and gravity did its job, bringing Robin back down, legs open apart and his feet hooked unto the men's neck, bringing their heads together to slam against each other. Robin arched back and landed on his two hands. He tuned his ears to the remaining two men and tried to zone out Kori;s battle cries. The two men were right behind him and with a deep breath, he pushed back on his arms and spun around, keeping his eyes on one location as to not get dizzy and felt his heels collide with the two men. He stopped just in time to see Kori sweep herself up from the floor, a couple of men groaning by her feet. Urging himself not to smile lovingly at her, he pulled her by the hand and made his way out.

"Going away so fast, kiddies?" Joker's saccharine voice rang out from the shadows of the door, "We haven't even started to play yet."

With a hand across her chest, Robin backed away into the room, keeping his eye on Joker at all times.

"Papa Bat can't play anymore," Joker said sadly, "I think he's a little tied up with something else."

His chuckle was a nasty one, full of malice and trickery.

"So I'll just play with birdie boy for now and of course the birdie girlie."

Robin stood straight to her left, facing Joker with no fear but when his hand pushed her backwards, she knew whom he was afraid for.

"Run," he told her quietly, keeping his eye on Joker, "I'll cover you."

Kori glanced at him, determined and then back at Joker who blew on his nails and started wiping them away on his purple checked trousers.

"No," she muttered, hoping he wouldn't argue her defiance this time, "I'm not leaving you alone with him."

"I can take him," he told her through gritted teeth, his attention on her completely but then his head snapped back to Joker who spoke as quietly as they did.

"You know, I'm not so far away that I can't hear you," he said with an unnatural smile, "And the girl is right, kid, you can't take me by your lonesome."

He clapped his hands and the clowns who had been hiding in the darkness behind him appeared. Dozens of them armed with yellow toy guns but Robin knew those contained anything but water.

"Let's say we make this fair," Joker said amicably, "You defeat me with your bare hands and I'll let the girl go without any hoo-haa. Agreed?"

A trap, Robin instantly thought, but a trap was the only thing Joker gave. There was no other way out. Either fight him and try to determine what the trap was or try to take him on with all the other acid wielding psychos around them.

"Deal."

"Excellent!"

With an exaggerated movement, Joker got into a martial arts stance, no doubt one he had seen on television. He started chanting 'Hare Krishna' as he thrust his fists out in combat, highly amused by his own doings. Robin, however, was too busy worrying his mind off about Batman and Kori to notice.

"Side by side?" Kori asked, looking straight at him and though Robin hesitated for a moment, he recovered quickly.

"He said it was between us, not you."

Agape, she watched as Robin let go off her gaze and launched himself at Joker. The terms were honored as Joker swept his body to the left, with the fluidly of a rag doll and parried a kick. Robin's agile arms shot out to pressure spots in Joker's body, one to the neck, the other to the arm, another to the chest but each was blocked or weaved out of. Joker was a pretty good fighter but nothing compared to Robin when he offered his best. He heard Kori's astonished cry to his right and dared to look. Joker's goons were flirting with her but Kori, being who she was, got angered quickly and kicked a clown right on his face, breaking his nose instantaneously. The other goons got enraged at the girl and began to attack but Kori could defend herself well hand to hand.

"You said it was between you and me," Robin growled, his face awfully close to Joker's. He smelled of cotton candy and acid.

"It is, isn't it?" he said with a raised eyebrow, "I never said anything about your lovely long-legs."

Soon, the blows began to land. Having the quick wit and agility of an acrobat, Robin hopped unto the wall and used the momentum to swing his body over Joker, bringing his foot down on his shoulder. Joker collapsed unto the floor, cursing as his bottom made contact with the ground. The deal was up.

As Robin jumped into a stance, Joker cackled wildly and cocked his own yellow gun at him. Robin paused.

"Deal was hand to hand."

"For you."

With a huge grin, the gun went alive. Robin flinched and Kori, who stood a few feet away, gaped loudly, her hands flying to her lips.

The gun spewed confetti and wrappers from its mouth, leaving Robin pale in its wake. Joker frowned at the gun, giving it a shake.

"Give me a second, will ya?" he said absent mindedly looking straight into the gun's mouth with squinted eyes. Robin shook his head and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. He made up his mind to get to Joker before he had a chance to shoot again and his body was willing to make the leap when he heard Joker's frustrated groan.

"I forget which one it was," he muttered, taking out yet another gun from his pants. He pointed this one at Kori who had been knocked down to the floor by a blow to her temple.

"Sorry, love, but I need to test them all now."

The closed metal door banged with a fury of a dinosaur and collapsed unto the floor. The shadow of Batman appeared, disheveled and obviously hurt. Joker's head turned to him and he gulped. He looked at Batman with resentful eyes.

"You're harder to kill than a cockroach on steroids!"

Fumbling with the guns, Joker chuckled at his own joke and ignored Batman's heavy footsteps coming closer and closer still.

"Guess I better do it now," he said with a cock of his head and smiled at Kori, "Bye toots…hopefully," he added in a whisper.

The gun spewed powder all over the air, the smell stale and pungent enough to warn Kori of the incoming shot. Her hands rose, calling unto her power to save her as it had done once before her eyes were overcome by a flash of black and yellow. A grunt was heard throughout the warehouse and the thud that followed was sickening to hear. Batman yelled out Robin's name but it was Kori who crawled over to him, his fallen body convulsing on the ground.

"Shit," Joker muttered darkly as he stared at the fallen hero and counted until three. Right on time, he felt Batman's hands close around his throat and try to choke the life out of him.

"My bad," he gurgled and threw his head back for a rippled laugh.

Kori took his head in her hands, her eyes blinded by the tears that had already swept past her eyes and down her cheeks.

"Richard," she whispered, hoping to get his attention. His pale face was contorted in pain and his eyes were tightly shut. Blood escaped freely from his chest, a river of beautiful crimson that stained his uniform, her hands, and her soul as the smell of metal traveled to her nose. Her hands closed over his as they tried to stop the flow but it was inescapable. The blood waited for nothing and no one and like everything in nature, it continued to gush through their fingers, a current of life spewing to the floor. The sounds of Joker's trashing, Kori's sobs, and Robin's uncontrollable spasms filled the air.

"Batman!" Kori cried but Batman was relentless in giving Joker what he deserved. His eyes, already hard from years of fighting the same scum that roamed free in his city became ice, inhuman and animalistic.

"Batman!" she tried again but her cries were weak from agony and grief, "He's dying! Robin's dying!"

Her yells reached deaf ears. His mind was on one thing only. The hands continued to tighten and by then Joker had stopped laughing. His body was in deep tremors and though the smile was still on his lips, Joker's face was stained with bloody tears. Finally, Kori's shrieks broke through him as his eyes finally snapped open to his actions. With a disgusted grunt, he let his tight fists open and Joker dropped to the ground, unmoving. Batman's head turned to his left and he saw Robin flooded in a pool of blood. His blue eyes widened as Kori looked straight at him, eyes red and tears flowing freely from them. Without hesitation, Batman moved toward them, his cape flowing behind him and hiding the scene from view.

* * *

No ROBIN!!!!! 


	36. Chapter 36

Oooooooh, I smell someone very hot being born by the name of...

* * *

**The spotted hawk swoops by and **

**accuses me, he complains of my**

**gab and my loitering. **

**I am not a bit tamed.**

**I am too untranslatable.**

**I sound my barabric YAWP.**

**Over the roofs of the world.**

_---Walt Whitman, Song of myself_

He had been called the Boy Wonder since he was eight years of age. Dick Grayson had ceased to exist for the time he was allowed to be Robin. Like a shadow, the eight year old acrobat would follow Batman everywhere he went; every roof Batman leapt, so would Robin. Every villain Batman faced, so would Robin. Every thought and skill Batman had ever learned, Robin learned as well. And soon, Richard Grayson slowly collapsed with the only person noticing this change being Alfred. Through the years, the short shorts Robin wore and the pixie boots became the image of the new Dynamic Duo around Gotham. Robin was ridiculed and teased but as time went on, this concoction of skill and heart became as feared as Batman was.

But Robin was still just a boy.

He never led a normal life, not even when he tried to. High School was extremely easy for him and he graduated, with honors, at an early age. His intelligence surpassed any challenge his teachers had presented him with until they gave up, both in exasperation and admiration. With two years to do absolutely nothing to do, Robin went back to crime fighting full time. Day and night he was out in Gotham, finding out every small crevice of the dark, festering city. Every curve, every swell, every fall…he knew them all. Like a lover, he discovered all her intimate spaces, places where perhaps even Batman didn't know about. Robin wanted to know everything about the city where evil mated and thrived like bugs in the wilderness. They spread throughout the city until no part was untouched by their reach. Swarming like bugs, corruption filled every space of the city's beautiful body and perhaps this was what made Robin fall in love with her and hate her at the same time. The city called out to him like a lover in the night, her voice sweet with vice and honey laced with deceit. Richard had always been curious but Robin was fascinated by the infestation in the city.

But then the city became too much for Robin. The villains, the people, the anti-hero deal became irritating to him. He was no longer eight years old. The wound in his heart over his parent's death had long ago scabbed over, still hurting but it was dull. At fourteen years of age (almost fifteen, really), he had graduated High School and felt like he had graduated Batman and Gotham. The city no longer appealed to him. What had once been nothing but love for it became disgust. He found out that the corruption could not be wiped out. It was rooted unto the very foundations of the small metropolitan area and he knew one day the base would crumble down, taking everyone down with it. Including Batman.

Batman and Robin.

The Dynamic Duo.

It was all about to change.

Even on their first meeting, their sense of justice had clashed. Zucco, the bastard who had murdered his parents so viciously, was behind bars and that made Richard feel victorious. Batman had wanted something else. _More than revenge, more than vengeance._ But Richard was happy with the justice given. With Zucco behind bars and Robin flourishing by the day, he felt content at last. Then years went by and the word _justice_ was thrown around like a whore through their lips and Richard became more prominent than Robin who had become a part of the background. He saw how Batman was for the first time without hooded eyes of admiration. Bruce Wayne had become the mask, Batman the man. Bruce Wayne became the lie and the boy who watched his parents die before his eyes grew up into the Batman.

Richard would always be Richard. Robin was merely another layer. They were different entities, easily recognizable and easily torn apart. It was then he knew he needed to get away; get away from the psychos who always, _always_ got away with every evil they ever committed. Insanity, momentarily insanity, drug abuse…all excuses to be unpunished and all were gullibly believed by the corrupt judges. The fights started over their sense of justice, their logics, their different ways of thinking. Robin's outfit changed from the pixie boots to tougher material. His martial arts reached new levels, his hair grew, and he left the playful banter behind.

There was rarely any more 'holy speedin' race boats, batman!'

He left then. Both Robin and Richard left. Things became too tense, too different for him. He felt constricted in his image of the Boy Wonder, sidekick to the great Batman. He wasn't dark. He wasn't somber. He wasn't this mini version of The Dark Knight. But when he joined the Titans, that's what he became. Only Slade had mattered. Track him down, catch him, make him pay for the evil he had caused. His whole life became this villain. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep, his thoughts filtered everything else except this coward of a man. He betrayed his friends, hurt them all, hurt _her, _he _became_ the Batman.

At the tender age of nineteen, he would die being a shadow of the most somber, depressing, dead man that was called Bruce Wayne during the day but who's true identity not even he knew; Batman was the closest thing to an identity he had. Richard Grayson would die being only an extension of someone else, someone he loathed at the moment.

As the life bled out of him, Richard wondered blindly who he would die as.

* * *

The steady sound of beeping heartbeats steadied her nerves but only slightly. She couldn't help but think that they might stop at any given moment and lose him—again. The last two weeks had been excruciating. Worry had been etched in her young face to the point where it seemed they might last forever. Her eyes had sunk in and dark circles had taken over the once lovely golden territory. Green eyes shone no more and she seemed to have aged greatly over only fourteen or so days. However, Richard Grayson looked worse.

Kori had been immensely relieved to hear that the bullet had missed his heart and all major arteries…except one. The one that had been hit was the one that bled like Ganges across the asphalt floor of the warehouse. In the small amount of time it had taken Bruce to bring Richard over to the hospital, he had lost an incredible amount of blood and was deathly pale. His breathing had stopped the minute they entered the hospital. It almost seemed to Kori that he had waited until the last possible moment to give up, perhaps when he thought he might be brought back by a mere chance. The hospital staff and doctors had worked miracles with him, bringing him back from the brink of death and fixing him up as best as they could.

It was now up to Richard to recover. As Kori sat by him in the hospital, her hand wrapped around his, she peered at him through hooded eyes. Bruce visited him every day but the moment between them were private. Kori couldn't stand being with the man. Every time he looked upon her, she felt the blame his gaze held. She had enough of that by herself; she didn't need his on top of that. The news that the possible heir to the Wayne billions had been shot and almost died had spread like wildfire. The story fed to the media had been that he had been mugged and nothing more. Yet the media went into frenzy and it was then that Kori realized how important Richard was in Gotham. Possibilities of who Bruce might chose to inherit the Wayne billions in case Richard died were by the millions. Stories of Richard's past came into the open, everything from his acrobatic start to the fact that he had, in fact, graduated from High School early on because of his high intelligence.

All of this made Kori's head hurt. She didn't want to hear any of the stories or feel the way Bruce's eyes fell upon her like bricks. She just wanted to stay by his side, making sure that the steady rhythms of his heart maintained their beat. On that particular day, the day was dreary. Snow slowly fell from the sky, tumbling like cotton balls into the pavement were it stuck and created a winter wonderland in Gotham. It was especially cold that day and though Kori was wearing a sweater, she shivered still. Making sure Richard was well covered and not a bit cold, she sat back down again and continued to stare at the wall. She had been basically living in the hospital, only leaving for a quick shower before flying back, not caring if she was found out anymore. She barely ate and slept only a few hours a day and even those meager hours of sleep were restless. Her ears were always alert to the machines around her.

Again, the familiar feeling of shedding came upon her again. Yet another roadblock was stuck in front of her. How was she to deal with this and Tamaran at the same time? She felt utterly helpless, useless, powerless. She wanted to crawl under a rock and remain there for as long as she could. She knew that time had changed around them again. Something new was looming along the horizon, something that Kori did not want to find out. Things were changing once again. What the future held for her was uncertain but she knew, once more, the ride was not over. The words Galfore had said echoed in her head. Richard's future blinded her with fear. She sighed and rubbed her hands against her face roughly.

The door suddenly opened and Kori slowly swung her head around. Her tired eyes met Alfred who stood in the doorway with a disapproving look on his face.

"Miss Anders, really," he chided softly, "starving yourself will not the help the boy."

Kori smiled wearily at him. She loved Alfred. He was very understanding in every aspect. He never judged, was always kind and helpful. Perhaps because he was old and understood how things worked better than other people. He had been serving Bruce Wayne and Batman for years now so Kori guessed he had a lot more knowledge about certain things than others did. His shiny black shoes clicked softly as he walked toward her and offered her a small bag. Even closed, the smell penetrated the material and wafted to her nose, making her stomach growl in anticipation. She smiled thankfully at Alfred and took the bag, thanking him thoroughly. He took her pace beside Richard as she went to eat near the window. His food was always excellent, royally magnificent but at the moment, she could taste nothing at all. She ate for the sake of eating and surviving and nothing more.

"He seems to be doing better," Alfred commented lightly, his voice soft like a parent's but his eyes were worried as Kori's were. She nodded, looking over at him. Richard's long raven hair was spread out behind him. It had grown a little past his shoulders by now and he looked absolutely ravishing with it tied into a ponytail. The luster was gone from it though. It just lay limply against the pillow. She continued to eat, looking outside at the snow falling. Each flake fell upon the window with a flippant attitude and stuck long enough to wink at her before melting into water. She munched on her chicken, swallowing slowly before taking another bite. She no longer felt hungry; she got full quickly nowadays but she knew if she left a single piece uneaten, Alfred would have her head.

"When is Mr. Wayne coming by?" she asked in a small voice, taking the last bite out of her meal.

"Later on today," he answered as he brushed away a strand of hair away from Richard's face. He looked around for anything undone or untidy but found nothing. He looked up to the young girl and noticed she looked worse than Bruce. As Bruce he was worried out of his mind, visiting every day and talking to the doctors about anything he found wrong but as Batman, he worked himself to death, going out every night and coming back in the late morning. Alfred voiced his concern but that was as far as he could go. He wouldn't listen anyway.

"Miss Anders?"

Her eyes slowly wandered over to him but her gaze was far away from the moment. They glazed over for a moment before she blinked and it was gone.

"Master Bruce cares very much about Master Dick, even though they fight like cats and dogs," he smiled at that, "Whatever he might do to make you feel like it was your fault is just concern over his son. Do you understand this?"

"I try, Alfred," she said sadly, rubbing her exhausted eyes, "But it doesn't help when I feel the same way."

Alfred nodded, walking over to her and looking down upon her. She looked down at her feet but she heard every word he said.

"I have dealt with many things in my life, Miss Anders but I have never seen someone so in love with another person. Master Dick loves you and you love him back but when you're in the superhero business, things like this will happen. One must learn, accept and never make the same mistake again."

He squatted down to her level and tucked his fingers under her chin, making her look up. Her eyes had tears welling up in them but Alfred wiped them away.

"Master Dick has always been a fighter. He will be all right, I promise you that."

She smiled gratefully at him and threw her arms around him. He was shocked to say the least but soon wrapped his own arms around her, comforting her tears.

He left after that, leaving her alone with Richard again. But that day, she found that with his warm in hers, her head next to his prone body, and Alfred's words in her head, she slept quietly for the next two hours.

* * *

From somewhere in the hazy place of her mind, Kori felt something stir. She wasn't sure if it was her or if she was imagining it. She moaned in complaint, wanting nothing more than to continue sleeping. The stale smell of hospital drained her mind of everything else but a sound diffused through her mind. A familiar groan followed by the bed moving under her head. Instantly, her head snapped up, making the world spin precariously around her and her view went into a fog. Still, she mustered up the strength to call out his name.

"Richard!"

"Hey…" he muttered in a small heavy voice. His eyes were open but they were red and blood shot. He spoke like he had cotton in his mouth, heavy and torrentially low. His brows came together in a painful grimace as he tried to sit up but steady hands stopped him, pushing him back down unto the pillow. Then a warmth over came him, soft and feather like. The hug made the pounding in his head subsided a little and the pure smell of lilies comforted him enough to forget the pain. She pulled back from him gently, traces of tears ran across her cheeks but she looked happy as she peered at him and stroked his cheek, giving him a small peck on the lips.

"I am so happy you're ok," she whispered as if speaking too loudly would destroy him. He smiled back but with effort. His face seemed unable to form any true emotions at the moment.

"What happened?" he asked thickly, running a hand through his hair and making it stick up more. He looked down at where Kori's gaze fell and saw the gauze around his chest. It was then he remembered the loud shot that left him deaf and blind and caused him to go into shock almost instantly. He could hear Kori's panicked voiced through his stupor and even felt when strong, muscular arms lifted him and told him not to panic. After that, there was nothing.

"The doctor said you survived by a miracle. Only one major artery was hit with the bullet but it was enough for you to lose a lot of blood."

She sniffled then, holding his hand tightly in hers.

"I was so scared for you, Richard," she whispered, shaking her head at the sight of their hands, "I've never felt so helpless in my life."

He mustered a smile and lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. She leaned against it and felt the calluses scratch her skin and wallowed in them. Tears began to run down her cheek but they were silent, apologetic. The tears were swept away by his hand and she smiled thankfully at him. They stood quiet for a long time, a feeling of change passing over them. For some reason, they both knew this was a turning point in their life. They both felt exhausted in some way or another of everything in their daily routine. Ike a cloud, it loomed over them as Richard pulled her in for a kiss, one so very different from the ones they shared before. This one was full of frustration and sadness. The apprehension of what was to happen overwhelmed them and Kori wished, if only for a second, to cease to exist. Just one moment of nothingness was all she wanted. For the rest of the time until Bruce arrived, they didn't speak but stared at nothing, their hands joined and the cloud residing over their heads.

* * *

To say that Bruce was relieved to see his ward better was an understatement. He didn't show it, of course, God help him if he did. It was something he just didn't do. He clapped Richard lightly on the back and welcomed him back to the land of the living. They talked about a few things here and there, not the liveliest conversation Kori had ever heard but she could see the relief in Mr. Wayne's eyes. There was something different in the way Mr. Wayne regarded Richard but she guessed a life and death experience did that to a guy, even to Bruce Wayne.

After the first few days in the hospital, Richard relentlessly complained of having nothing to do. Though the doctor had strictly forbidden any type of activity, he had broken that rule a few hours after the doctor had told him. Kori had nearly a heart attack when she didn't find him in his room and had searched everywhere for him only to find him wandering the halls, trying to find his way to the recuperative gym that the hospital had for especially injured people. Kori scolded him worse than the doctor, Bruce, and Alfred had done. Though he had given her his most dashing smile, Kori remained angered until that night where he promised, on his scout's honor (though he had never been a scout; he never told Kori this part) that he wouldn't scare her like that again. Truth was, hurt or not, little could keep Richard from moving around the hospital.

"It makes me fidgety," he told her one night, "Like I'm trapped in this room."

"Just until you get better," Kori piped in with a smile.

On the day Richard left the hospital, he was bandaged properly and given instructions on how to take care of himself correctly. Alfred was ecstatic at the prospect of having him back at the mansion. He brought life into their otherwise dark and somber lives. His master had been so consumed by grief and concern that he had stuck his nose in even more work, both as Batman and as Bruce Wayne. Truth was, even as a young boy, he had a charisma that not even Master Bruce could deny. Gentle blue eyes melted even the coldest glaciers in Master Bruce's heart, squirming his way through the stone walls Bruce had erected for himself. Alfred saw this instantly. In those days, the mansion and the cave for that matter had heard a lot more banter, a lot more laughing, and easiness had passed over them. No matter how many villains there were, the Dynamic Duo went out and did their job only to return to the cave and practice their skills more. During those times, Batman had taken a different turn. No longer sinister, the figure became a teacher, helping this boy flourish as much as Bruce had. Pride shone in his hooded eyes instead of revenge. Those were golden ages.

Fully dressed and looking better, Richard and Kori waited until Bruce and Alfred came to pick them up. Babs had come to visit countless of times as well and she rode home with them that day, chatting happily with the both. She had been in tears when she heard Richard had been shot, even more so than Kori who was in a state of shock by then. But now she was playful with him, more than any other time.

They ate, talked, and watched loads of movies the entire day. It seemed like a perfect relaxation over the weeks of struggle and worry. Babs left in high spirits, leaving Richard and Kori the same way. Since he was injured, Richard couldn't very well go out as Robin so he was most surprised when Alfred informed him darkly that Batman wanted to speak with him. Shrugging, Richard left Kori in her bedroom with the promise that he would return early.

"What a way to pass those two weeks, huh?" he joked around with her and for a second she didn't know what he meant. Then she remembered her Jar'hil and chuckled, slapping his arm tenderly.

"Really, Richard…"

With a kiss, he left the room.

That was the moment of end of an era.

* * *

The mansion rumbled with hatred and anger. The overwhelming madness that took over the large house shook it in its foundation. Alfred became truly frightened for both of his sons for the first time in his life. Shouts and screams thundered through the cave and the words used were worse than any foul language could ever be. The air was thick with hatred, utter hatred, something that Alfred didn't know Master Dick was capable of. Lord, the things he said to Bruce and the things Bruce said back. Alfred was on the verge of tears as he saw them tremble in detestation. Shutting his eyes, he heard the words spoken.

"Of all the stupid, childish things to do—"

"Jumping to save Kori was not a stupid—"

"It was thoughtless, careless, rash—"

"It was _Kori_---"

Batman brought his hands up to stop the argument which had been going on for the last twenty minutes. Their voices were hoarse by now but contained the same passion as before. The gesture made sure Richard did not speak while Batman spoke but the defiance was clear in Richard's blue eyes.

"I have told you time and time again not to let these feelings get in the way—" Richard's sigh of vexation stopped him for a moment, "—But you continue to impulsively do these things that get you hurt… or shot. Dick, you got shot!"

"No shit, Sherlock," Richard mumbled, pointing at the gauze underneath his shirt but his eyes were always firmly placed on Batman.

"Is it so hard to understand why I did what I did?" he asked with a frustration that had been unmatched before, "Have you completely escaped your sanity to not remember what it's like to love someone else? I was not about to let the love of my life get shot, Bruce."

"These feelings are getting in the way—"

"Of what?" Richard countered, "Of following your orders like a puppy? Of agreeing on everything you say? Those days are over, Bruce."

Batman regarded him closely. Yes, those days were long over. Batman realized this way before Dick had. In truth, Batman had been preparing for this day. From the moment Richard's eyes had shone at the prospect of being the leader of the Titans, Batman knew. There was no turning back. The cape whispered behind him as Batman walked closer to Richard who did not back away. Instead, he raised his head to look straight at the older, taller man in front of him. A ray of light fell across Richard but Batman continued to be shrouded in shadows. Would that ever change?

His lips moved and words came out, important words that Richard couldn't quite comprehend. He stood there, looking confused as his eyes narrowed at Batman.

"What?"

"You heard me, Dick, hang up the suit."

The suit was in his arms, ready to be used in case Batman had enough faith in him to allow him to go on a small round of the city. Richard thought, after all these years, he would have enough assurance in him to know that he could take care of himself. Obviously, Richard thought wrong.

"You can't tell me to—"

"Hang it up, Dick."

Alfred stood back in the shadows, unwilling to say anything but he wanted to so badly.

"This is _my_ suit, _my _identity—" he ignored Batman's interruptions, his tone increasing in volume rapidly, "I _am_ Robin! This is _me_! Damn it, Batman, Robin is not yours!"

"The suit, Dick."

Clenching his teeth, Richard shook his head disbelievingly. He threw the cape and mask viciously at him, the materials softly floating to the ground.

"This is who I am, Bruce," Richard growled, his eyes squinting at the masked figure that so many feared. Yet, he spoke without any trace of it. He moved closer to the Dark Knight, so close Alfred was afraid they might start physically sparring. The tension was too thick to take in.

"No matter if I'm Robin, Bat-boy or whatever the hell my name is, this is who I am and I sure as hell don't need to be in your shadow to be it."

"You will never be who you want to become," Batman uttered darkly, so convinced by his own words that he spoke without dissuasion, "Not until you learn your priorities and learn to follow orders. You can come back to being Ro—"

"Never," Richard deadpanned enigmatically, "Never again."

He turned around, his wound bleeding through the gauze and through his shirt. His face was in shadows no more but it was the face of a man, no longer the boy who grazed his way into the cave and into his heart. Alfred could have sobbed at the sight.

"Never again."

It was a promise.

* * *

YAYAYYAYYA. My baby's growing up (finally...) 


	37. Chapter 37

Quick word: Batman is not a dick. He just doesn't know how to properly deal with Richard. After all, Batman is not the most socially adept person in the world…

* * *

_Robin: Hey, Batman, what're we gonna do once we finally get rid of all the criminals and everything? Move to another city?_

_Batman: I don't think that's something you have to worry about, Robin_

_Robin: Okay,so, then we'll just stay in Gotham and keep doing this, right? Forever and ever?_

_Batman: We'll do this as long as it's effective. And feasible._

_Robin: Right. Like I said. Forever... _

(_Nightwing #75_, 2003; by Devin Grayson)

The mansion was utterly empty of any trace that an energetic, charismatic boy who had ever lived there. There were no signs of his presence anymore except for a couple of pictures and the fallen face of Alfred that gave you a hint that someone very important who had just died in this house. His shadows haunted him every where he went. The chandelier on the hallway made him tear up at the mere sight. Many times had Alfred scolded a young Dick Grayson to stop swinging around from it.

_"I did not realize we kept monkeys in this house," he would say reproachingly, "I must inform Master Bruce of this sudden menagerie that has moved into the mansion."_

But he was always glad to see Master Dick entertained. In the huge mansion they called home, things became very boring to a hyper eight year old. Alfred knew that coming from circus folk meant that he had once lived a very exciting, non-stop life. To suddenly be stuck in this huge manor would have been excruciating for him. He let out that energy in multiple ways. He swung around the house like an animal, laughing and whooping his way downstairs. There had been many injuries due to structures collapsing because of Dick's antics. His laughter was all that kept from Alfred going crazy. It was infectious, in a child's sort of way.

After the child grew up to a teen, he spent most of his time training. He worked very hard in keeping his skills intact. He made sure he met the requirements Bruce expected of him. He wanted so much for Bruce to be proud of him, both as Bruce and Batman. To prove to his mentor that taking him in wasn't a bad idea. Richard never had to prove to himself that he was made for the superhero gig. He knew this from the very beginning, from the moment he donned on the suit that he was meant to leap off buildings and fight bad guys for justice. Maybe it wasn't in his blood but in his tragic experience from an early age he learned that it was his calling. He wanted Batman to know this as well.

Alfred wished his Master would stop being so cold toward his ward. In Alfred's eyes, he knew his Master well enough to understand where the argument had come from. He had been very worried for Dick's well being as well. The boy was such an intricate part of their lives it was something unbearable to think that he could have died. Alfred understood. But that didn't mean he accepted the way Bruce had handled it. Truth was, Bruce could not handle the boy properly. He never could. They were too alike and at the same time too different. Their sense of duty was the same, fighting for good, fighting for those whom they had lost but what they wanted in life was very different. Dick could tell who's Robin and who's Richard. Bruce couldn't.

Bruce hadn't adopted Dick properly. Dick was his ward, possible heir to his millions, Robin the Boy Wonder but he could never be called Bruce's son.

Alfred shook his head, cleaning the kitchen obsessively. Master Bruce had shut himself in his study since the morning and the mansion was empty once more. Madam Barbara had arrived that morning and she had been shocked to find that Dick and Kori had left. None of them knew where. She had cursed Bruce's pig-headedness and stormed out, probably to find Dick. As Alfred cleaned, he knew the rift this had caused and he knew who Bruce blamed though Alfred could simply not see how his Master could dislike such a likeable person.

Maybe that was why. Kori was not a human being. As an alien, Batman instantly distrusted her which caused Bruce's eyes to be clouded over with judgment. But he didn't see that Kori was nothing more than a sweet young woman who was madly in love with Dick and would never do anything to hurt him. But then again, both Bruce and Batman had accused Alfred of being fooled easily and seeing things too simply. He supposed they were somewhat correct; it seemed his Master could see the flaw in Dick's relationship with her. She was always heading into battle without hesitation as she had done with the Man-Bats and Alfred could see that though she had been fearful, something like instinct had taken over her and she threw herself into battle. He remembered Master Dick commenting that Kori was of warrior blood and it showed in her eyes when she went into battle. He had seen the glint in her eyes shine with every blow of her fist.

It reminded him of Batman.

Alfred sighed and continued to clean. He would have to take this new change with character and hope that one day his two sons would come to realize that they are, in fact, nothing without one another. Not just as Batman and Robin but also (and more importantly) as Bruce Wayne and Richard Grayson.

* * *

Kori rested her head against the cold tiles of the hotel bathroom, letting the warm water pour over her body and relax her nerves. She didn't need to remember what had happened last night. To say that Richard had been furious was a major understatement; it didn't even begin to cover how he felt. He was visibly shaking with anger and he had all but puller her from her bed and told her (barked at her was more like it) to pack her bags. Kori wanted to ask why, wanted to know what in the world could have happened to have him be so upset but she didn't. She did what he told her to do but tried to maintain calm. He paced around the room, his hair a huge mess that fell across his contorted face and though he tried to keep his anger to a low he found that he couldn't and ended up punching a wall. His fist made a big hole in the sturdy wall but Kori knew, with the loud resounding crack that his knuckles had cracked. She walked up to him and took his hand to see it covered in white dust and blood. Without a word, she took him to the bathroom to clean it up and to her surprise, he let her. He kept his eyes hooded and he didn't speak to her but the mere motion of letting her help him spoke volumes. 

They left the mansion that night amidst Alfred's pleading.

"I am sure Master Bruce will come to his senses—"

"Too late, Alfred," Richard said darkly, dragging Kori by her hand, "I'll give you a call later."

Now in the hotel room she let the water pass over her and let her thoughts stray. She had a fine idea of what had happened. She didn't say it to him though. Richard was still too raw from the fight, too vulnerable to talk about it and Kori…well, Kori knew too much. She settled for a shower and left Richard be. After settling into the room, he left to go X'hal knows where. But now Kori had bigger things in her mind. Richard was at a focal point in his life. This was what Kori had witnessed in the future. The sad, lonesome, dark creature who talked like Richard, smelled like Richard, felt like Richard but had lost what made him a hero in his own right. She didn't want that for him. She could help him, she could (as Batman had accused her) influence him to be someone great, to make his name as powerful as Batman's himself.

But…

Galfore had asked for help. She needed to give them help. She needed to make alliances. The damned Gordanians were making a mess of everything. Everyone was pleading war against everyone. Tamaran was in war against the Gordanians who were in war with the Citadel who had, for the moment, sided with the Tamaranians to defeat the Gordanians...X'hal! Kori shook her head, sending little droplets of water everywhere. She just wanted peace on her planet. She wanted to be happy. She desperatly wanted to help her people.

How could she do that with Richard here and in need of her and her world about to collapse? Her duty lay with her people, her heart with Richard. How could she choose? She banged her head against the tile. She knew what she had to do. It bore down on her shoulder like Atlas with the world. She needed to tell him. She needed to tell him what she must do, no matter how much it hurt. _And X'hal it hurt her_. She shut her eyes tight and bumped her head once more. Hot tears trailed down her face while her stomach churned violently. The water heedlessly tried to clean away her sadness but its effort was useless. Knowing that Richard wasn't there, she let herself slide to the floor and hung her head, a great misery emerging from within her like a beast and took over.

* * *

_"…and swear that we two will fight together against crime and corruption and never to swerve from the path of righteousness." _

_"I swear it."_

That was a promise Richard meant to keep. It meant more to him than anything else in the world. It was the thing that kept him sane during those years when his parent's murders haunted his days and nights. It seeped into his blood and symbiotically helped him survive. Not just because he had sworn to fight for good and justice but because he had sworn to fight side by side with _him. _One of the greatest detectives this world had ever encountered. His caretaker, his mentor, but he could never call him his father. But then again, Bruce never called Richard his son. Richard was his ward, his heir, chum, but never his son; Bruce had yet to legalize him as that. He never really wanted a partner and even worse, he never had really wanted a son. And anyway…

Too long had he been stuck in this persona of Robin. He had been given an identity to hide behind but he had outgrown it. He never saw Robin as cheap thrills and fun but as a weapon much like Batman was within his own right. Robin had been a child's game. He wasn't a child any longer. He hadn't been one for a long time. The Titans had both made him flourish as well as regress to a simpler time, something that never ceased to amaze him. With four other teenagers who, like him, had been forced to grow up quickly, childish games came naturally. In fact, Richard couldn't think of a better time in his life than those four years with the Titans. He had prospered as Robin in a way Batman could never offer him. But that had ended too.

He realized then that he was the sum of so many people who have influenced him, shaped his thinking, from Batman to Superman to his parents down to the Titans. He needed to become someone new, someone who knew who he was.

In the back of his mind, the one thing that stood in his mind was the name Kori had uttered to him when she came back from the future. It echoed in his mind constantly, calling to him, enticing him. Was he finally up to that point, to completely sever ties with the Dark Knight and become his own man? Part of him was nervous, extremely nervous but a part of him (a big chunk actually) couldn't wait. With Kori by his side, he could become who he wanted to be. With her support, he was sure he followed the path he wanted to follow and never stray from it. The frown on his face disappeared. His lips turned upward into a small smile.

He said the name out loud and the wind captured it in its arms, swirling it around him with tenderness.

Richard smiled.

* * *

Upon his return, Kori had him sit down and talk to him about what had happened. He found it easier to talk it out with her and though he became enraged at certain points, the memory of whom he was meant to become made it better. Kori listened intently but she seemed fidgety throughout, like she had something to tell him as well. She listened to him intently as always, giving her opinion charily every now and then. She was saddened for him mainly because she always held her family in the highest regard. No matter how much they had hurt her, she wished she could have had more time with them. Her sister—she didn't want to think about that at the moment. 

When he was done and she couldn't stand it no more, she came out with her request.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor, please."

"Anything for you, Kori."

She smiled sadly and swallowed before continuing.

"I was wondering if you could call the Titans for the weekend, please."

"Sure," he said strangely, "to hang out?"

She nodded, a sad smile on her face.

"Something like that, yes."

"Why?"

She gulped, the smile dripping off her face slowly. Her breath caught in her throat and her hands, already sweaty, began to tremble. She felt her eyes water and her chin tremble and Richard noticed.

"Kori?" he started anxiously but she shook her head and stopped him. He needed to hear this. She needed to say it. With a big breath, she began to speak.

"Richard," her voice trembled, "Galfore contacted me the other day," she paused when his face fell and somehow her voice continued to work though her brain had long stopped, "and he informed that Tamaran is in trouble again."

"Again?" he repeated darkly.

"Yes and he has asked for my assistance," she bit her lip and pulled on her fingers, "I am to return to Tamaran by the end of this week."

His face gave away nothing, reminding her of the festivity in Tamaran when Karras had 'kissed' her. She waited with baited breath to see something, anything in his face but nothing came.

"Richard?'

He shook his head and stood up, heading straight for the window.

"Richard?" she tried again, her voice breaking, "Please, it is not as if I want to."

'Then don't," he muttered.

"I have to," she whispered brokenly.

"Why?" came the harsh reply.

"Why?" she repeated, surprised, "It is my homeland, Richard."

"What do they need you for?"

She paused and that pause made his heart drop. He made sure to keep his back to her but damn it, he couldn't hide the pain from her. Not from Kori. _Don't say what you are going to say, _he pleaded

"They need alliances."

One name flashed in his mind and made him see red.

"You're going out there to get married."

"I do not know," she whispered, "but Richard, I have to do this. For my people…"

"Yeah," he whispered, cutting her off abruptly, "Yeah."

She looked at his back. He stood against the setting sun, glowing as the rays illuminated him but she wished she could see him. Her heart was breaking and she felt nauseous. _Please say something_.

"I'll call 'em."

"Th-Thank you."

He nodded. A silence passed over them, long and pregnant, filled with the sudden overwhelming weight upon them that neither knew what to do with. Suddenly, the world became just a tone bleaker than what it already was. The sun set quietly in front of them, as if in shame of what it had to witness.

The hotel room was small and Richard had only ordered one room. The lady had looked at him funny, especially when he was accompanied by Kori who kept the attention of every man in the vicinity. Richard tried to keep his dignity intact as scenarios of him punching the lights out of every man in the room flashed through his mind. Convinced everything was correct, the nice lade at the desk flashed him a smile and gave him the key. Richard tried hard not to blush when she winked at him but he knew what she was thinking and her thoughts had traveled to him and made him completely forget the troubles he had just gone through. _Damn the hormones…_

But now, when the sky had darkened and the stars were there but hidden by the pollution of Gotham, Richard lay with his arms crossed under his head and his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Kori lay beside him, her back to him and breathing gently, as if asleep. He knew she wasn't. Richard called the Titans as he had promised and when he told them why they needed to come for the weekend, they all left whatever they were doing to come to Gotham. Their connection was not one to be broken, not after all they had been through. Whatever they had to do with their association of mentors, they could never rise up to the importance of their teammates.

Kori hadn't spoken to him afterwards. Night had fallen by the time Richard went to take a shower and when he came out, Kori had been already in bed. She wasn't asleep; her green eyes shone brightly through the darkness but she didn't speak as Richard lay beside her. Two hours had passed this way with nothing between them. A rift had been caused between them again and Richard remembered what he had told Kori when they first started going out.

_"It's just---I have this awful feeling that responsibilities will keep us apart. Not villains or evil plots or even my psycho tendencies, you know? It feels like these good times you and I have together will be far and few in between."_

"_Between what?" she asked, letting her hand search for his and interlace her fingers with his. He looked down at her, her small, graceful hand caught in his big, calloused one._

"_Between all the shit that always seems to happen."_

Komand'er had not kept them apart. In fact, she brought them closer still. She changed into someone more resilient, a lot more defiant but she was still Kori. Slade had died by her hands but Kori seemed to be keeping that in her and not letting go. The event had made her sad and in truth, a lot more risqué but again, they had still been fine. A few fights didn't worry him; every couple fought, even more when your superheroes. And yet, they were separated at the moment when they were so close (all he had to do was stretch his arm out to touch her) by responsibility. Richard understood she had to go back. It was her land, her people, her war. Yes, he understood this completely. Part of him was proud of her for choosing what he would have chosen as well. Part of him had a half formed plan on how to keep her tied to a chair forever.

_Why now?_

He rolled to his side and snaked his arm around Kori's waist. He buried her face in her neck, smelling the lilies of the valley and crushed his face in her skin. Kori's hand wrapped around his and moved back toward his body. Spooned in him, she ran her hands though his hair and whispered how much she loved him but never turned around. She was afraid if she did, the gates wouldn't stop flowing the sorrow she felt. The moonlight shone through the closed curtains and bathed the room in heavenly light.

Neither of them slept that night.

* * *

_"…and swear that we two will fight together against crime and corruption and never to swerve from the path of righteousness." _

_"I swear it."_

--Detective comics #38 


	38. Chapter 38

I'm about to GRADUATE!!!!! AHHHHHHH! Finally, lord, finally. As you can tell, I'm happy. Anyway, I will finish this story during the summer but In Paradisium will have SLOW updates cause I'm sure that the story will be worked during my freshman year in college so y'all know what that means. IT WILL BE FINISHED. I cannot stress that enough.

* * *

_"There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy."_

**---Dante**

A single day passed filled with worry and emptiness. The prospect of their ever changing lives bore down on them heavily and the quiet between them screamed out its anger and resentment. They continued to live that day as if nothing between them was wrong but they lied to themselves long enough to know that whatever they felt at the moment would multiply intensely as the fateful day arrived. Richard would be alone and confused while Kori… none of them knew what Kori would have in stored for her but she was as lost as Richard was. The day passed excruciatingly slow for both. At night, she rolled up against him for warmth and comfort but he couldn't give it to her when he had none himself. Dreams swam around his head, contorted with reality and memories of days passed which only multiplied the bone crushing feelings he felt during the morning.

The Titans arrived on Saturday and reunited with Kori and Richard once more but not as the Teen Titans. That team had died a long time ago. Kori squealed when Cyborg came, the first to arrive. She screamed out 'Victor!' loud enough for him to hear almost a block away from the hotel. She threw herself on him, laughing heartily as he patted her back, a smile on his face as well. He made his way with her on one arm and the other carrying a suitcase and patted Richard on the back as well. Victor looked incredible. He wore a dark jacket and black pants to hide his cybernetics but his face was still the same kind-hearted face it had always been. He was still taller than Richard but standing next to him Kori noticed that Richard had grown more over the past months. Still, Victor towered over him, not only in length but in size. Richard would always be compact in his form but Victor was bulky on his arms, legs, and chest. Muscles rippled under the clothes he wore and he looked as amiable as ever.

"Dude, I heard you got shot."

A dark shadow flickered through Richard's eyes at his friend's first words.

"Yeah," he said sheepishly, trying not to make a big deal out of it, "Kinda hurt."

"I bet," Victor chuckled, "You need to be more careful, man."

His eyes averted to Kori who quickly sobered her frown and smiled at the older man who turned his gaze at her.

"And you, shorty?" he smiled, "You been ok?"

'I have been fine, Victor. How have you fared?"

He sighed, sitting down beside Kori on a bench as they waited for the rest of the team. The day was bright enough for the sun to provide some warmth but the white smoke that came out of your mouth when you spoke was promise that the days would be cooler still.

"Titans East have been doing ok. We got rid of Brother Blood a couple of days ago for good," he nodded when Richard and Kori expressed their pleasure over the news, "Yeah but other than that, it's been chill."

"What happened to Brother Blood?" Richard asked, his interest piqued but while they talked about work, Kori let her mind wonder. She remembered how it had felt to be on the team every time Victor talked about them. Those days had been filled with so much happiness and delight as well as sadness but when she looked back on them, she wouldn't change them for anything in the world. Regret fell upon her when she thought of those times and wished that she hadn't been so stupid as to get captured by Slade. It was then the team had split. The memory replayed in her memory, slowly, etching it into her eyes. Her eyelids closed heavily as the guilt overcame her.

_"Cheery today, aren't we?"_

Kori gasped at the white light that shone in her mind and with one single look, she spotted Raven at the end of the street. She squealed again, warning Richard that another Titan had come. Kori ran up to Raven and was pleasantly surprised to find Beast boy with her.

"Raven, Gar!"

She pressed herself against Raven who, to Kori's surprise, responded with the same affectionate hug as Kori. Pleasantly astonished, Kori laughed and kissed her cheeks but to Raven that was enough.

"Ok, ok," Raven said with a light smile, "On to Gar, now."

Kori threw herself on him as well, giggling happily. Gar hugged her back with the same enthusiasm and spun her around.

"You have grown so much," Kori commented airily, looking straight at him in his green, cat-like eyes.

"Hormones," he said shyly and gave a glance to Raven who smiled back. Kori felt enlighten by their show of emotions, no matter how small it was. It was still there, ever-present. She dragged them by their hands to greet Richard who was just as excited as Kori though he didn't show it in the same way. His eyes lit up brilliantly though as he embraced both of them. With all the members of the ex-Teen Titans together once more, they made their way to the park. Though it wasn't Jump City Park, it would have to do for now. No one spoke of why they had gathered that day neither did they want to. Through the grassy hills of the park, Kori commented on Raven's healthy appearance and Gar's new found maturity. Both of them acted differently but complimented each other well. Gar had still not lost the boyish way of acting but he radiated a certain sense of adulthood that could only come from experiences. What those were Kori did not know. Raven walked along side him and wore a white hoodie and light jeans. The color worked well on her, especially since her skin had more color in it. It was then they found out that she had been spending time in Africa with Gar more than they thought. Victor leached on this like a maggot and started teasing them until Raven unleashed her magic on him. He moaned happily, no doubt loving the pain just like in the old days.

"Who's up for a game of Stinkball?" Victor called out and to his surprise, all of them responded in agreement—yes, even Raven.

* * *

Stinkball was a disaster to say the least. The ball of rolled up smelly socks was strong enough to avert anyone from the park and being a classy, chic park of Gotham City not to mention the fact that they received strange looks from everyone. No one knew why Richard was hanging with the ex-Titans but being from such a rich family the citizens of Gotham didn't care. They assumed with the money Bruce Wayne had, he could afford to hang out with whomever he wished. 

The game started out well. They paired up as they used to in the old days. Victor and Gar against Richard and Kori but Gar added Raven into his team.

"Extra oomph," he said happily as she joined, flashing a winning smile in her direction. She gave a small one back.

The directions were simple. Vic's team would have to get the ball through the opposing team's barrier up to a certain point. When that point was reached, a point would be added in favor of his team. If the ball was stolen, then the opposing team had to try and get the ball past Vic and to their goal. Simple.

Not.

"All right!" Vic whooped, "Let's get this started."

Gar changed into a cheetah and with the ball within his teeth, he raced past the fields of green and charged straight into Richard and Kori. They smiled and stood still, knowing the excitement would get to Gar who was running at full speed. Within minutes the air was filled with a loud bang and Gar stopped dead straight.

"Aww man…"

Between his teeth, the flat ball lay broken and disinflated between his canines.

"Dude, s'ok," Vic called out, pulling another ball out of his systems, "I figured this would happen."

The game continued. This time, Richard obtained the ball and with his fast agility, he ran through the barricade that Vic made with his own dexterity. Victor had been a football player once and that was as much in his system as all the mechanics in him. Since the rules of not using their powers had not to been talked about, he extended his elongated arm toward Richard who heard the swish behind him and found himself ball-less. Cyborg whooped as he made his way to the opposing field and found Kori smiling straight ahead. His eyes narrowed, knowing very well that getting through her would be harder. Thankfully, Gar was soon next to him and turning into an elephant, he pulled Cyborg to his back with his trunk and charged at Kori. In return, Kori simply held out her hands and met the elephant's impact head on. The soil rose into the air as the large feet of the elephant elevated a little from the impact but she stooped him dead in his tracks and the ball slipped out of Vic's hands on the collision. It bounced a couple of inches away from the goal which made both men groan in disappointment. Suddenly, the ball was encased in a white light and pushed the few inches remaining.

"SCORE!" Gar called out happily and turned to look at Raven who gave them a serene nod.

Kori humphed and murmured about cheating but let it pass. When it came to games, she became just as competitive as Richard, perhaps even more so. The game continued on for the next three hours, turning violent on some occasions (more when it came to Kori) until the poor grass was no more and dirt reigned over the park. Incredible passes were made and the teamwork between them was at its best. How could it not be after living four years together and knowing almost everything about each other? Tired and grimy, they all collapsed on the grass, exhausted and to the breaking point. It was a cold day but they had played so much that they were covered in sweat and hot. Most of the day passed this way and by the time they were strong enough to raise their heads from the grass they were lying upon, the sun had begun to set. The Titans resided in the same hotel Kori and Richard were currently living in so they went together and agreed to get ready by ten when they would leave for a nice restaurant.

Back at the room they shared, both Kori and Richard were too exhausted to speak but they didn't mind. They had too much in their minds to speak of anyway. This was not the time. They took turns for the shower and it never ceased to amaze Richard that, even with no parental supervision, they upheld the customs they had been taught by society. He could have easily taken that moment to be intimate with Kori but not only did he not want to be crude, he didn't feel like being so close to her. If he was, things would surface that he did not want to stir at the moment. So he let her take a shower in peace while he stared at the setting sun and tried to keep the echoes of last night out of his mind.

When his turn came, he allowed the water to remove all impurities, if only for that night.

* * *

Kori wore a beautiful satin dress, dark green in color but it brought out her eyes and her hair even more. The dress remained simple with a low cut halter top and three inch heels. Raven wore a dark purple corset dress that held a black lace trail behind her. It was also quite simple but with her violet eyes and straight hair, she looked absolutely ravishing in it. The boys wore simple tuxes without the jacket and without the ties but the crispness of the shirts and pants made them look astonishing. Gar and Victor thanked Richard for the suits since it had been his money (well, Bruce's money though he would never say so otherwise) that paid for the clothes. 

They went to a restaurant at the beginning of the park called The Perk. High society was always seen there but since the news that the rich billionaire's ward's departure from the nest had not been leaked out yet, he was welcomed with open arms. It would be days before he was shunned aside as the 'punk who no longer would be the inheritor of the Wayne billions.' The restaurant was situated in a tall building, on the roof, overlooking the park and the city. It was chilly outside, especially at such a height but the floor had a heating system that kept them comfortable throughout the night.

Through the wine and the main course, the five of them talked and laughed loudly, earning dark looks from the others but they didn't care. No one brought up Kori's leaving or anything else that could digress from their good mood. Instead, they chose to joke and tease each other about the villains they faced, the traps they fell in, and all the other moments that seemed centuries ago when in fact, it had only been a few meager months. Even so, every once in a while a peace would settle over them and the silence would filter through their mind and plant seeds of sadness over the fact that they were there, talking about it like old war stories when it had been the best years of their lives. And it was over. The best years in their entire lives were over and they were still only eighteen years of age.

Only eighteen.

Then the band started playing again and Kori laughed out loud. The conversation continued over the loud music as they tried to push away those thoughts that bore down onto them worse than anything else in the world. The thoughts that, indeed, at the tender age of eighteen years, they had lived their entire happy lives already.

* * *

They decided to walk back to the hotel room that night. 

"How is Azarath, Raven?" Kori asked, hooking her arm around hers. Raven let it happen and even leaned into her a little. Her eyes looked straight ahead at the three boys as she spoke.

"It's been ok," she said truthfully, "It's home but at the same time, it doesn't feel like home anymore."

"I know exactly what you mean," Kori said regrettably. She smiled sheepishly when Raven gave a strange look and tried to dissuade the conversation to something else.

"You and Gar are…ok?"

Raven cocked her head.

"Define ok."

Kori waited while Raven gathered her thoughts.

"I see him almost every weekend," she started slowly, "and it makes me feel…good to see him. I've grown to feel comforted by his presence. We've run into our issues but we try to not let that get to us. I mean, being the spawn of the devil and Gar having every animal in the Animal Kingdom trying to get loose is not the most normal relationship between two people."

Kori smiled kindly at that comment.

"But—" Kori offered.

"But," Raven continued with a smile, "I love him."

"And I love you back," Gar said happily in front of her and blew her a kiss. Raven rolled her eyes at him but the smile continued to play on her lips.

"I love you Victor," Richard chirped with a swoon.

"Oh! I love you too Dickie!"

They laughed meanly at them but Gar and Raven didn't care. After so many years together, they had missed this kind of teasing.

They said their good nights at three in the morning but they went to sleep with heavy hearts. In the early evening, Kori would be leaving. A piece of their lives would disappear forever, marking the end of their era. Depressing thoughts to sleep with was nothing compared to Richard's. He left Kori in the bedroom for an hour while he went outside to clear his head. She moped around for a while but when he didn't return after an hour, she made her way back to the bathroom and decided to wallow in the shower. Slow, hot tears rolled down her cheeks, hidden by the water. During her time alone, she had contacted Galfore and told him that she would be making her way to Tamaran. He accepted ruefully and told her with a regrettable voice that a ship would be waiting for her where she thought was acceptable. She told him a location, only because she thought that with so much sadness bearing on her, she would not have the happiness to fly long distances.

The water rolled down her body, making it glisten against the dim light in the room. She had purposefully left it like this and she had half a mind to turn it off completely. With her back to the blue curtains, she let the water pour down on her like rain and breathed in the steam. It was hauntingly quiet, almost to the point where she could hear her own breathing. The curtains were thin and layered but they provided enough secrecy for her to cry without feeling ashamed. Her mind was far away, in her own world and quite lost in the feelings she resided in. Like Raven had told her so many times, meditation helped clear away the feelings but she had found that meditating did not help anymore. Maybe she needed something stronger. Maybe she just didn't need any more trouble in her life. Whatever it may be, her mind was in a constant flux and it affected her every day life.

Too out of it to notice, she jerked when she felt cold arms close around her and she turned around quickly, her hand already lit with a bolt.

"Easy there," Richard mumbled with half a smile, his face lit up with the green intensity of her bolt. The energy seeped back into her as she calmed.

"Hi," she said shyly as his hands held on to her waist tight.

"Greetings," he said half teasingly and half brokenly. His hand held a sponge and he nodded his head at her. Reluctantly, she let him wash her back, feeling the roughness of the sponge against her skin. He did so quietly, barely breathing as each fiber made contact with the silk that was her skin. The bubbles from the soap created a pleasant scent but neither noticed. Kori was concentrating on not crying and Richard was concentrated on her skin, red from the friction. A sob escaped her and soon the rattling of sadness became too much for either of them.

His forehead bumped against hers as he turned her around and they closed their eyes, the water seeping between their naked bodies as if they were crevices in caves, making their way to enigmatic places. He smelled like the city, a polluted smell that slowly disappeared with the water. He held her close to him, breathing her in as she clenched her eyes shut. She clenched his muscles as she tried to keep herself from crying but when his lips traveled down her wet skin and kissed certain parts of her neck that she did not know needed the touch of his lips, the tears mixed with the water simultaneously. His skin pressed against hers but the touch only made her yearn what she couldn't have. Fingernails scraped his back and left alien marks of needs on his skin, similar to what he was doing on her neck. She was so sensitive in that part of her neck, right in between her neck and shoulder to the point where she melted like jelly beneath his strong arms. The purity of the water mixed in with the lilies of the valley in her skin became a drug, addicting and stimulating. He crushed his face in that spot and couldn't control the feelings that pushed toward the edge. Like water threatening to spill over a cup, he felt all those waves of emotion take over him. Bruce had taught him better than this, he knew but at the moment, Bruce could go to hell.

She continued to kiss his shoulders as she too dropped tears on him but when his head elevated and looked at her with red blood shot eyes, she lost it. Sobbing against his cheek, she whispered apologies and other babble that could no longer be understood between the tears and the ball stuck in her throat. He was, by far, the strongest man she knew and yet here he was, salty sorrow making their way down his angelic eyes…because of her. She kissed away his tears, every single one that trailed down his face and left the mark of what she had done to him. She sank into him, both the man he was now and the man he was going to become. She wouldn't see him again, not unless by some power she was able to get away from Tamaran once more but it called to her again and again, much like Gotham did to Robin.

Shadows danced around them in a satirical dance, unmoved by the joined bodies that searched for one more moment of happiness within each other. Caught between bliss and utter misery, the joining was bittersweet and desperate. Urgently trying to hold on to what they had, it was marked with melancholy groans and distressed calls. Slumping against the tile of the bathroom, Kori looked up at Richard's tear stained face and trailed one path down his cheek.

"Only in the shower," he whispered, shattered. Kori gave him a small, sad smile and ran her hand down his sweaty forehead. The water did nothing but make them warmer during their act.

"Only in the shower," she whispered back, signaling to her own tears and was sealed with his nod. His raised his head and let the water fall down on his face, down his neck, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly and tried to wash away the feelings. She looked closely at the drops of water that hopelessly clung to his eyelashes as he blinked them away and said nothing when he turned off the valve. The loud pattering of the water suddenly stopped and they were left in total silence, shivering slightly against each other in the abrupt peace. He recovered first and threw back the curtains, ripping a few of the hooks off the pole but he didn't even notice. His hands closed around a pair of towels and handed one to Kori who took it willingly. The words rang in her head and she was surprised to find that the tears that threatened to overwhelm her were gone. This was not what they were. Their relationship was not about tears and sadness and all the crap he once had said would come to them. She made sure to show him that they were so much more. With a simple wrap around her, she made her way out of the bathroom alongside him but while he made his way to his bed, she held his hand in his and stopped him half way. Looking back in surprise, his eyes widened even more when she let her towel drop and pool by her feet and her lips held a mocking, sweet grin that melted him right there.

"I suggest you grab unto something," she said seductively and pulled him close to her. She kept on smiling as she kissed his chest, his stomach and undid the towel tied around his waist. Giggling, she continued her quest down to a part of him she loved very much but had never met up close. His hand shot out to grab the bed post.

"Only in the shower, yes?" she whispered, her breath hitting the sensitive skin on his organ and making him shiver violently. He nodded and closed his eyes, leaning his head back as her lips made contact with him in the most pleasurable way.

* * *

Next Chapter: Kori leaves. Boo hoo. 


	39. Chapter 39

Hello, this is ChalakChalak, your new High School graduate! I'm finally effin' done! Muahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Now I just have to get through six more years of school... :(

* * *

_"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned in life—It goes on."_

**--Robert Frost**

Waking up in a nice, warm, comfortable bed was made more incredible by the fact that his nose was crushed against the nape of her neck and the smell of lilies became the scent he would smell the rest of the day. His arm tightened around her bare waist as he remembered the night before. He could still taste the honey on his lips and the surprising (but so welcomed) touch of her tongue against him. It was enough for him to clench his eyes shut and let the corner of his mouth rise in a grin. Kori had never done that before though she had often showed the incentive of being quite kinky in bed. Last night had proved how comfortable she was with him as well as with herself. He had seen and felt heaven itself and encountered a kind of devil in her.

He loved it.

The memories of the warmth of her mouth against him, the pull of skin against her teeth, the welcome of his need for her—he needed to stop thinking about it before…

"Good morning to you as well, Richard."

He frowned good naturedly at her up-turned face and apologized. She giggled with sleepy but happy eyes and shook her head at him.

"Never apologize for that."

Her lips met his and he took this chance to turn her around, throwing a leg around her waist to pull her closer. She let him and with her lips still enrapturing him, her hand traveled carelessly to his lower region and caressed the already anxious organ. He groaned against her mocking mouth as she stroked him teasingly. Pulling her by the waist, he positioned her on top of him, letting her straddle him and with the same gleam in her eyes as last night, she began to kiss his stomach, drawing wet circles around his belly button. His deep moans only fueled her taunting. As she looked up at him, her eyes became suddenly sad. It was a quick flash, gone as fast as it came but Richard caught it; his own eyes were so vigilant upon hers at all times. He tried to pull her up but she fought a bit, shaking her head at him and stubbornly biting down as he tried to disengage her from him.

"Ow," he moaned though the bite had the opposite effect of pain.

She sighed and finally made her way upward, the look of a scorned child on her face.

"You don't have to…" he started but was quickly stopped.

"I know I don't," she responded huffily, her fingers deftly massaging him, "I want to."

He grunted. She smiled.

"There will be no sadness between us at the moment," Kori said, as if confirming her statement. Richard merely nodded, his eyes closed in sheer enjoyment.

"And you will please me in any way I want, yes?" she gave him an evil grin.

Another nod, this one paired with harsher panting. Kori continued to smile wickedly.

"Ok, then."

She made her way back down again and continued her torment on him and inside of her, she felt the utter control she had over his incredible body, a body so capable of bearing incredible injury and yet becoming so malleable under her touch. She loved the taste of him, his want, his utter need for her own skin, and the way he wiggled under her when it got too much for him. Once she had her fun with him and took him to the edge of his sanity, she stopped and returned to his neck, nipping at the sensitive skin hidden there. Not surprisingly, his own deft fingers made their way down her body as well to pleasure her in unimaginable ways. Kori giggled against his ear, a goofy grin on her face that matched his as well. A feeling of giddiness set over them, making the whole act a lot more pleasurable but mostly, a lot more fun than usual. Fits of laughter interrupted them in intervals but they were so dizzy with happiness that they didn't care. They exploded with laughter after they lay panting in each other's arms, exhausted but satisfied.

The morning started out fantastically for both of them but not even this could take away from what lay ahead for them that day. When they finally managed to pull away from each other long enough to dress, a darker mood had set in. It had finally situated that they would be separated once more, not because of each other, not at all; no one had cheated, no one had hurt each other, no conventional separation torn them apart. They were alienated by something larger than who they were. Would they try and run away from it all? Their faces said it all; of course not.

She would leave early that evening so the rest of the day was passed in a small, intimate café which soon became full of laughter from the young teens. Memories and mistakes soon became the map of their young lives and everything that had happened, both the good and the bad, became a treasure to each of them. Wounds were healed when Raven and Richard were left alone as the rest of their friends went to order more food (already they had ate fifty dollars worth of coffee, cake, pastries, and sandwiches the café offered). Raven said nothing but Richard was in a strange mood and he knew very well why that was. It was time to let things go and start to forgive.

"How's Azarath?" he started out lamely but Raven raised an eyebrow at him. They had not spoken directly at each other since they met.

"It's the same as it's always been," she answered slowly, fidgeting slightly, "How are you?"

"I'm ok," he answered but then paused and answered truthfully, "I got fired."

Raven's perfectly shaped eyebrows came together in confusion.

"From what?"

"Being Robin."

Raven cocked her head back but the realization set in on who could have done such a thing. The confusion left her clear face to be replaced by understanding.

"Jeez, he's tough, isn't he?"

Richard nodded but didn't say anything.

"So no more Robin, huh?" she asked but her eyes gleamed with a secret they all shared. He was sure she knew where he was headed as well. Her eyes brightened at the prospect of having the bright sided of the future happen. Thanks to Kori, she wasn't spiraling down depression or anguish. Though Kori was leaving, Raven could count on all her friends to be there for her, most importantly Gar. He grinned lopsidedly at her as he nodded. After a while, he spoke once more.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," said Richard in a low voice, cutting into Raven's thoughts, "I realize how idiotic of me it was to get angry at you."

Raven waved his apology aside.

"I would have felt the same way," she smiled at him kindly, something Richard had never seen from her, "but thank you."

"God, you look so much better, you know," Richard commented with a sincere grin which made Raven blush slightly, "I wonder who did this wonder?"

"Shut it," she snapped but the glint in her eyes didn't match her words.

Richard laughed good naturedly and was joined in by Raven a couple of seconds later. He was still getting used to hearing her laugh but it sounded good, it sounded different in the best way.

* * *

Kori had given the main ship which would transport her to Tamaran a location in the deep woods of Gotham, not too far away from the mansion. Richard had called Alfred to tell him the news and to pass on the information to Bruce. He was sure that Batman would have informed the Justice League and an all out war would have happened over one small unidentified ship. Better safe than sorry. Alfred expressed his concern over Kori's leaving and they talked for a long time about it. Alfred had a way to make Richard comfortable enough to spill out everything he wanted to say and with the few exceptions of his scolding for his cursing, Alfred listened quietly and accepted his feelings. Richard let everything out of him; the anger he felt toward her world, her responsibility, her sense of duty to her land. She was nothing but a pawn in Tamaran, ready to be married off when they needed it the most but they certainly hadn't done anything when she had been sold into slavery, like cattle. He cursed the prince who would ultimately have her and whined, like a child, how unfair everything was.

Alfred listened intently and his input was added in every now and then but at the end, Richard felt better, lighter. Only Alfred could do that to him. He would make sure that Bruce got the information and promised that he would be there when Kori left. Thanking him greatly, Richard hung up the phone and stared at the wall of his hotel room.

He stared at one spot for a long time, thinking of nothing and everything at once, becoming a jumbled mess in his mind. After a while, he laid his head in his hands and sighed. He had half a mind to go to a local pub and drink his weight in alcohol. He didn't know where he got this idea from but he distinctively remembered Bruce doing it when things got too rough (maybe not his weight but certainly a cup or two of vodka). Instead, he mumbled something incomprehensible that sounded a lot like his new mantra.

"Only in the shower."

* * *

Between the large thick trees, six people walked with heavy hearts and heavier looks. They didn't speak nor look at each other but they didn't need to. They all felt the same way. The clearing in the trees was large and occupied by an even larger ship. Its structure was similar to what they had seen before from other alien ships. Its construction was challenging and its formation appealed to Cyborg most. He, unlike the others, could see the hidden compartments that hid the weapons and the advanced technology needed to built such a massive device that could fly so quietly and land so effortlessly. Saliva seemed to pour out of his mouth as he overlooked the ship and for a moment, Kori even thought he forgot the sadness over her leaving because of the ship. The six of them stood in front of it and watched as one large Tamaranian man walked down the railway and stood rigid in front of the ship.

Kori turned to them.

"He will not speak to you. It is not permitted to talk to outsiders when picking up a Royal."

She looked at Alfred first and smiled at him, sad but thankful. She hugged him softly and nearly cried when he hugged her back.

"It has been a pleasure knowing you, Madame Koriand'er."

"As it has been with you as well," Kori nodded back and laughed when he handed her a bag of homemade cookies.

"For the trip," he added with a kind smile.

Kori moved on to hug Cyborg and with one arm he lifted her in the air for the biggest bear hug in her life.

"Ahh, shorty, I'll miss you."

Still caught in his arm, she kept on smiling with a watery gaze on him.

"Thank you for everything, Victor."

He waved it away as if it was nothing.

"Anything for you."

She hugged him again as he let her down on the grassy floor. Patting her back, Kori left Victor to wrap her arms around Gar who gave her a peck on the cheek as she pulled back.

"I bet you're gonna miss me too, huh?"

Kori grinned.

"Greatly, Garfield."

"Ahhh, you'll come back to us. You couldn't bear to be away from my jokes."

As Victor rolled his eyes next to him Kori nodded and gulped down the knob in her throat. She gave him a peck on the top of his head and ruffled his hair in a motherly way. She looked at him pointedly as she leaned into his ear.

"Take care of her," she whispered to him and earned a chuckle and confirmation from him. Raven rolled her eyes at Kori but opened her arms for a hug. Still surprised that Raven had become open enough to initiate a hug, Kori willingly wrapped herself in Raven's arms. The smell of incense filled her nose and Kori had to hold back the tears once more. When she pulled back, Raven's hand went around her head and down her face, touching her chakra as she blessed her journey and her life. Kori closed her eyes as she heard her words and wallowed in them, drawing the strength she needed. Kori thanked her and gave her another quick hug, making her promise that she and Gar would take care of each other. Both nodded vigorously.

Her eyes turned to Richard who was looking away at the moment. Without so much as a glance, he pulled on her hand and began walking with her toward the ship. She kept quiet as she kept her eyes on his back. In the woods, it was a lot colder than in Gotham but he wore a nice dark green jacket to keep him warm and every movement made his jacket whip out against the wind. There was a nice pattern on it, a pattern that reminded her of a bird with its wings spread out. She diverted her gaze from that, trying to keep the tears from falling. She focused on their joined hands instead. His big ones engulfed her smaller, delicate hand but he offered so much warmth in such a small touch that it was impossible for Kori to keep herself in control. His grip was deathly, harsh but Kori tightened her own hold in his, trying to draw strength from him.

A few paces away from the ship, Richard suddenly stopped. Like in slow motion, he turned around to face her, his face stoic and unreadable. Kori shrank back into herself, unable to look at him straight in the face. Already her eyes were threatening to overflow with tears but the atmosphere around them didn't help a bit. Even with the cold air around them, she felt constricted, as if she was suffocating. Suddenly, kindly, Richard's hand tilted her chin upward to meet his sapphire eyes. She did so hesitantly and met the most excruciating sight.

There was nothing on his face.

She whispered his name but the wind managed to take it away, leaving only an echo of it. Whatever leaves remained from the trees fell around them and bathed them in their dying breaths, littering the floor until it became a carpet of lifeless entities. Kori closed her eyes and leaned into his chest, comforted by his steady breathing and the beating of his heart, though wild, still thumping the familiar rhythm she needed. The silence filled them to the brim but they were so empty inside that it overwhelmed them entirely. Like a cascade, sorrow swept over them but to Kori, it seemed that Richard was incapable of showing it. He had years of practice hiding any sort of damaging emotions but at such a moment, it worked best for him. He had the control when he needed it the most but slowly, it began to water down, melting into her shaking arms.

With his head in the intimate crevice of her neck, he inhaled her and imprinted her in his memory. Rolling fields of grass passed by his closed eyes and beautiful scenery took him over. Peace but most of all, the innocence Kori represented brought him to life. The good times with the Titans, their unconditional friendship, and now their relationship.

"Only in the shower," he whispered against her skin, the puffs of air hitting her flesh and making it rise, making it come alive. She nodded with vigor, holding onto him for dear life, wishing to never let go. Smothered against his hard shoulder, she clenched her face grimly, trying to keep the tears back and stopping the howl of pain trying to escape her lips. When Richard finally disengaged himself from her, Kori kept her gaze down. She mustered up the strength she needed to look at him straight in the eyes, those blue shining orbs drew her into him in such a way that she felt her intensity rising.

"I love you."

The words lingered in the air around them, swirling emotions through them, warming them inside. Richard sighed loudly, holding her so hard she could feel every callous in his fingers but Kori wallowed in the pain, making it her own.

"Damn it, I love you."

He crushed his lips against hers, making her feel his anger, his hatred, his love, and the primal growl only set her off. Throwing her arms around him, she pressed herself onto him, latching to him like a leech and unwilling to let go. Memories flew around them, enveloping them like a cocoon in its tendrils, enveloping them entirely. It seemed time stopped and like a scene from a movie, everything disappeared from the world. In their own universe, Kori and Richard took their time to say good bye but even then that was not enough. When the world appeared again, they tore away from each other painfully. Their look said it all.

It was time to let go.

"Be careful," he whispered, unable to raise the volume of his voice. Kori nodded, knowing better than to speak. If she did, the grief would pour out of her like water overflowing a cup.

Her hand was still enveloped in his own when she turned around, tearing her eyes away from him. Then suddenly her hand was enveloped by the cold, frigid air as she let go of him and the last remains of what she had in this world. She felt the need to glance back at him, to meet his eyes once more but half way through she changed her mind. She couldn't, not without going insane. She suddenly remembered a story Richard had once told her about a man who had lost the love of his life and had gone to the underworld to find her. As they headed back to the real world, he was told not to look back at her or he would lose her forever. In the end, he looked back and indeed, she was lost back with the dead. Kori felt the same way except it would be her who would be lost. Heading straight forward, she let her mind go blank as she met the Tamaranian soldier and slammed her fist against her chest.

A tear fell trailed down her cheek, staining the skin there.

A bird somewhere chirped.

Life would go on.

And so would they.

* * *

Next chapter: I'm not gonna tell you! 


	40. Chapter 40

I know that these are not the original Titans (original Titans are: Wally, Dick, Donna, Garth, and Roy) but for the sake of the story, bear with me.

* * *

_"When the surf flings a drop of water onto the land, that does not interfere with the eternal rolling of the sea. On the contrary, it is caused by it."_

**--Kafka**

**Six Years Later**

In the dark nights of Gotham, criminals foolishly tried to continue their escapade. It didn't pay to be a criminal in Gotham City but so many tried anyway; it was mere stupidity or desperation that drove them to do such things. There were so many crime fighters in the dark city so criminals had little or no chance to get away without injury. Some were smarter than others and managed to get away with their crimes but those were rarities. Others, such as the ones coming out of the bank, were just plain stupid. With their hands full of cash, idiotic grins plastered on their faces, and loud cackles echoing through the quiet streets of Gotham, they were _asking_ to be caught. On this particular dark night, a figure appeared suddenly out of the shadows with a roundhouse kick aimed straight for the first robber.

"There's only one reason why I haven't talked about it."

His voice was low, menacing but very distinctive. Immediately, the other robber knew it wasn't Batman. Batman rarely talked and when he did, it sent up shivers down their spines. This voice didn't (but it was getting there, that was for sure). Trying to work up his courage, the robber aimed his crowbar for the head of the intruder. Dressed in ridiculously bright colors, the Boy Wonder jumped up, with the dexterity of a dancer and aimed yet another kick to the man's face. The crowbar didn't hit its wanted location but the kick did.

"I don't want to."

Throwing his head back, his body followed, the elegant R insignia on his chest gleaming against the moonlight. The colors weren't as bright as they had been before but he still sported the yellow, green, and red. The Boy Wonder had changed a lot over the years, almost like he was a different person. Still, the crusade to stop criminals had been evident in all his years as Robin.

"Robin's done with the Titans."

A punch missed his back but with a twirl, Robin landed a well placed punch right below the man's jaw, making him fall back like a log.

"Does _he _know?"

"_He_'s the one who brought it up," a man's voice suddenly joined Robin's and it was this particularly cold, lifeless voice that made the men shake in their fallen positions. It was more than cold, it was a voice that had been hardened by years of pain and sorrow and deep cuts. The criminals stood still as Robin handcuffed them rather roughly, not because they were criminals but because Robin was in a very bad mood.

"So what—he thinks I need more training? Is that what you think too?"

There was a pause before the man came into the light. He was a majestic sight, hard on the eyes, with lines etched in his face, his arms crossed and his cape flowing around him protectively. A creature of the night. The Dark Knight himself. He stared down upon his partner with hard, masked eyes but Robin looked back with contempt.

"No, I think you need to see your friends."

Robin's hardened gaze lowered as he finished tying the criminals up. He had no words left no say.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Dunno. Just listen carefully, will ya?"

"But—"

"Jump!"

"Wha—"

"JUMP!"

Everything was dark. Mixed sounds confounded him and rattled his nerves. The tracks clattered loudly against the metal wheels of the train and the smell of the city was harsh, almost as harsh as Gotham's. Robin kept his focus on the man's steady voice, trying to keep himself alive for as long as possible but with a blindfold around his eyes, it wasn't exactly easy.

"Picture the train. Where we land, how we land, all of this needs to be in your mind."

"Right—"

He heard the older man's body hit the train in one single thump but his own body landed the wrong way.

"Stay loose, land on your hands and move with the momentum."

Robin was moving with the momentum, all right. Instead of landing on his hands, he landed on his legs and everything went downhill from there. His back hit the train with force and he rolled forward on his crouched legs, making them ache tremendously as the train continued to move. He slipped onto his butt, landing hard and began to slide back and away from the train. Thinking quickly, he took out a bat-a-rang and stuck it down, anywhere he could stick it in. It worked or at least, it stopped him from falling.

"What'd I tell ya, Rob? Piece of cake, right?'

"Yeah, cake."

The man looked back with a smile and waited for Robin to pull himself together. Once he was next to his mentor, Robin sighed and got accustomed to the train's movements. After a while, he spoke again.

"Batman did this when you were Robin?"

"Yeah and I was a couple of years younger than you."

Robin rolled his eyes though his mentor couldn't see it.

"Lucky you."

"Smell that?" the man asked and Robin could hear the smile on his face, "Beautiful smell of the great outdoors."

It smelled like rotten fish wrapped up in smelly, week old gym socks.

"Beautiful, huh?"

The man chuckled and pulled his leg up to his chest, telling Robin to do the same.

"Perfect way to work on our balance."

Robin could just picture his mentor next to him. A goofy grin on his face, his leg perfectly positioned in balance, his arms spread out to his side. The blue streak adorning his otherwise simple suit and the escrima sticks on his back. Robin tried to imitate but found quickly that it was easier to imagine than to do. His mentor was, after all, from circus heritage. Robin was not. Wobbling precariously, he had half a mind to not to do it; it wasn't like his mentor could see. Then he decided better. He thought very highly of the man next to him and he certainly did not want to disappoint.

"So Alfred says you haven't been around the mansion?"

Robin guessed that his mentor shrugged but then his voice suddenly followed.

"Busy."

"Superhero stuff?"

"Not really."

There was a pause before Robin spoke once more.

"Nightwing?"

The man next to him hummed.

"Why the Titans?"

Nightwing sighed. He thought about it for a moment before answering because Robin deserved an explanation.

"The Titans are not just a superhero crime fighting team. The Titans provide a place to be away from all people like Batman. And I know from experience that young heroes need that."

"But after what happened…" Robin trailed away, his voice becoming instantly tight. He didn't want to bring _her_ up. The original Wonder Girl. Donna.

"Listen, that wasn't your fault," Nightwing said harshly, "Don't make this about that."

Robin felt like he hit a nerve. Donna had become an essential part of Nightwing's life in just a couple of years but then again, Donna had that gift. Not only was she beautiful but she was so kind hearted and sweet. Yet at the same time she was a fierce warrior and loyal friend. Robin often thought that she reminded Nightwing of someone else he once had known. He became quiet for a moment, mulling it over.

"It would be only during the weekends?"

"Uh huh," hummed Nightwing, scratching a spot on his arm, "Just try it out."

"All right," Robin said somewhat reluctantly but in reality, he felt the beginnings of excitement in him. Batman had been right. He needed his friends, missed them greatly, in fact. On top of that, he trusted Nightwing's judgment.

"Well, we've talked about Robin," Nightwing started, "Let's talk about Tim. Any girlfriends?"

The train turned and Robin yelped in surprise. He pushed himself forward to grab anything he could find but since he couldn't see, he landed hard on his knees just in time for the train to re-position itself.

"Did you forget the turn in the middle of the ride?"

"A little."

Nightwing chuckled and switched legs.

"So you didn't answer the question."

Robin huffed as he rubbed his knees.

"I'm trying not to get killed. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if Batman finds out you killed the Boy Wonder."

Nightwing laughed and clapped his back, sending him forward in surprise again.

"So…"

"So…" Robin repeated and actually blushed a little, "I broke up with my last girlfriend."

"Why?" Nightwing asked, concern obvious in his tone.

Robin thought it over. Maybe because she had been working undercover, trying to kill him while he fell desperately in love with her at the same time. Maybe.

"We just didn't work out."

"Ahh—" Nightwing sighed, "You're bad with women."

This made Robin laugh. Nightwing turned to him but seeing as he was blindfolded as well, it did nothing.

"What?" he asked incredulously.

"You haven't exactly had your luck with the opposite sex either," Robin commented.

"Wha—"

"Well, let's see," he started to count on his fingers, "An alien, a goddess, a murderer, a suspected murderer, your landlady, and now Ba—"

"Shut it, twerp."

Robin laughed. It was incredible how comfortable they were with each other. Robin could feel the need of explanation in Nightwing's voice as he spoke.

"Donna and I never actually dated. People just talked a lot. Miggie wasn't a murderer when I _met_ her so that doesn't count. Emily—well, she wasn't _really _a murderer and Clancy and I were just friends."

"Yeah, with benefits."

"You little—"

"And Kori?" Robin said straight out. Everyone knew about him and Kori. Even when Dick had been Robin, Tim had seen the news and how the Titans had apprehended yet another criminal and the way he and the alien girl would look at each other. Rumors, suspicions, gossip all traveled quickly so everyone in the universe pretty much knew.

Nightwing stood quiet and Robin thought he had gone too far. Wanting to apologize, he opened his mouth but Nightwing cut him off.

"Kori—gave me love when I needed it the most."

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"That's it?"

Robin heard the man next to him sigh deeply. The mood had officially sobered.

"No, that's not it. Kori was—"

His words were cut off as he heard a thump on the back of the train. Robin was still laughing beside him but his attention had escaped him. Nightwing, however, was all ears.

"What was--?"

"Shh," Nightwing whispered, "hear that?"

Robin's ears perked up. He heard the clattering behind him and panicked. Suddenly, something hit Robin in the back of the leg and made him stumble forward. He heard Nightwing grunt beside him and called out to him.

"Over here," he groaned from the side of the train, his knees scraping the wall that the train happened to pass by at the moment. Slowly, he made his way back to the top of the train.

"I'm taking off the blindfold," Robin said urgently but was stopped by Nightwing's hand.

"No. You can't change the rules when the going gets rough."

"We could get killed."

"How's that different than any other day?"

Robin thought it over and saw the sense in that.

"Now listen to your surroundings carefully. Robbers love to steal from these kinds of trains."

Robin followed Nightwing's instructions and he blocked out everything out of his mind. The rails groaned under the train's weight but the train deliberately continued to run through them. The screeching of the cars matched but there was a few thumps on the cars that made him think they had visitors.

"We got visitors!" Robin announced but he felt Nightwing already springing into action.

"Here's one," Nightwing grunted as his sideswipe left a robber crying in pain as he hit the car's roof painfully.

"And another."

His hand swept back, landing on the jaw of an unsuspecting robber.

"I found one," Robin commented, his punch landing on the man's stomach but then he heard a sound near his back and he kicked his leg back.

"Make that two."

"Ow! That was me!" Nightwing groaned, rubbing his stomach painfully. Robin chuckled apologetically.

"Oops."

Taking his bo-staff out, Robin took care of the others and felt them tumble off the train. He gasped at the thought of the robbers falling from such a height.

"Are they---"

"They're as happy as pigs in the mud," Nightwing answered, peeking from his blindfold to the men wallowing in the stinky sewage below them.

"Smell that?" Nightwing asked, "Where are we?"

"Uh---"

Robin tried to figure it out. He visited Nightwing a lot in his new home in Bludhaven but he still wasn't too used to it. Gotham was a bad city to be in but Bludhaven was just as bad, if not worse. If Gotham was infested with crime, Bludhaven had been the one who infested it. The two cities were near each other so Robin could hop back and forth as much as he wanted.

"It smells bad," Robin finally said.

"Yup. You know what's coming next right?"

"Sure---"

Nightwing shook his head. He would find out in a few minutes. The surprise was always the best part.

"So what were we talking about?" Nightwing mused, tapping his chin but then he remembered and quickly changed the train of thought.

"So how's Bats?"

There was a pause. Robin probably knew he had changed the conversation but he didn't pursue it.

"He's been ok. The Crisis really shook him but I think it shook him in a good way, if that's possible."

He took another minute. When it came to Batman, it was hard to talk about even between them.

"That's good," Nightwing commented lightly, "The man needs to chill after a while. Especially after all that's happened."

Robin staggered in his next words but he felt like he needed to say them.

"You ever think about _him_?"

"Who?" but Nightwing knew exactly who Robin was referring to.

"The other _Robin_."

"Oh," his voice became dark and it n ever failed to surprise Robin just how much Nightwing and Batman were alike.

"Yeah."

"Me too. All the time."

Admitting it was the first step, Robin thought.

"Sometimes I think I go too far the other way from _him_."

Nightwing frowned, trying to work out what he was saying. Robin continued.

"Like I'm _too _cautious. I mean, you and Batman are fearless."

That got Nightwing to laugh out loud, a healthy laugh that came from deep within his belly.

"Ha! So we fool you too, huh?"

Beneath the blindfold, Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, I get scared too."

"Of what?"

"Well," Nightwing started, "I'm scared of failing, sometimes of dying. Bruce, though, I'm not sure if _anything_ scares him. He's faced every kind of psychotic villain, alien, robot creatures in this world and nothing seems to faze him."

"I'm not so sure," Robin said slowly, "I think he saw what scared him the most when he was going to hang up the cape and cowl after Bane broke him."

Nightwing laughed though Robin saw nothing funny about what he had said. Still, Nightwing knew Bruce better than anyone else in the world so he waited until his laughter subsided to hear the reasoning.

"It's so like Bruce to be scared of a normal life," Nightwing chuckled lightly, "But after the Crisis, I think nothing will stop him from being Batman. After all he's gone through, Bane, the earthquake, Jason, the Crisis…He'll just keep going on until death claims him."

Nightwing sighed and salty air reached his nostrils.

"When I came to that realization, I knew there and then I could never take up the mantle of the Bat. I just can't become one single entity. I'm as much Nightwing as I was Robin as I am Dick."

Robin didn't say anything. He pondered his words carefully, dissolving them in his head to get the full meaning out. Nightwing was a bright, intelligent person and Robin felt incredibly lucky to have him and Bruce as mentors but also to be able to call Dick his brother. They had become very close over the years, much closer than either of them had been with Jason Todd.

"Ya feel that?"

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Robin tried to feel his body. It was moving to the right, slowly at first but then more noticeably.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Think Robin, think about the path of the train. Think of Bludhaven."

"I smell salt air, the seagulls---damn it, what is it?"

Suddenly, the car turned to the right viciously, so hard that it lifted Robin right off his feet and into the air.

"The curve at Sea Isle Junction!"

Nightwing quickly shot out his arm and grabbed Robin around the wrist, pulling him back in but he didn't grab him in the right position and Robin came tumbling on top of him. With ooophms and grunts, they landed awkwardly beside each other, hurt and bruised.

"That—happen—to you---when---you were---Robin?"

Breathlessly, Nightwing confirmed it.

"Except Bats grabbed me by the ankle," Nightwing chuckled at the memory, "Did I mention I was younger—"

"Yeah yeah," Robin mumbled irritatedly , getting up carefully, "So how do we get back?"

Nightwing's ears perked up and his lips turned into a wicked smile.

"I hear a Northbound train on the next track!"

"Aw man…"

* * *

"Hey Vic!"

"Grass stain, dude, the audition's over?"

Gar rolled his eyes, flopping down on one of the comfortable couches in Titans' Tower.

"It isn't much of an audition when they ask you to play the horse in a movie."

Vic chuckled, typing away on the computer.

"Well, that's all right. I see you better as a jackass anyway."

"Ha ha ha," Gar said sarcastically, "You're a real hoot, ya talkin' toast maker."

They shared a quiet laugh together. The Tower was quiet but hopefully in a few days, it would once again be filled with laughter, jokes, and memories the Titans were so fond of. Gar could clearly see why Victor made such a great leader. Unlike Robin, he didn't immerse himself completely in his work but when he did, he always came up with the greatest plan, idea, or logic he could find. After what seemed to be an eternity, the plans to revive the Teen Titans had finally come true and the role of mentors had fallen on the most unlikely people: The original Titans.

Gar couldn't see himself as a teacher; most of the time he still acted like a child. But he would try his best, as always. Most of all, he was excited to have all the Titans together once more. Well, all except one and it wasn't who he expected to be missing.

"When is she arriving?"

"Tomorrow evening. She's meeting us at the conference meeting."

Gar smiled. He leaned back against the couch and sighed. Yup, the Titans would be reunited once more. With his superior sense of smell, he detected the scent of incense and his heart skipped a beat. Raven.

She entered the room silently and if it hadn't been for his animal sense, he would have never known. She frightened Victor who gave a withering look after she apologized. She sat down beside Gar who grinned toothily at her, a grin she returned. Raven had matured into the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. Her hair was still short and close to her scalp but the look suited perfectly. With nothing to conceal her face, her bright chakra and her violet eyes were left to shine without any obstruction. With full, red lips, porcelain completion, and the body of a dancer, she knocked the breath out of him every time he saw her.

"Hiya, gorgeous."

"Hello, Gar," she answered placidly and turned her gaze to Victor.

"When is she arriving, Victor?"

He chuckled.

"You're the third person who's asked me that today," a comment that made Raven smile, "She's arriving tomorrow during the meeting."

Nodding, Raven took the book from beneath her cape and started to read.

"Do you have humongo pockets in that cape of yours?" Gar asked, bewildered but Raven ignored him. She wore the same leotard she used to wear with the only exception of a piece of cloth that started from her stomach and hung down between her legs in a V-shape. She also wore thigh high boots attached to the leotard but other than that, nothing had changed. The lives of the ex-Titans had been anything but easy.

Victor had continued leading the Titans East but they too separated and so Victor took a position as the mechanic of the Justice League. He enjoyed the position well enough but they proved to be too insensitive for him. The sacrifices they were willing to take were not something he wanted to surround himself with. So he quit and worked off jobs between different groups until he heard of the new batch of heroes that had sprung up. That's when the Titans crossed his mind once more.

Gar had been with the Doom Patrol for a couple of years before they were killed. Gar mourned their death like nothing else. They may have not been his real family but they were everything he had. Raven had helped him through the pain though. He and Raven had been in limbo for some time, stuck between a relationship and friendship. It had all collapsed around them though as Trigon tried to take over her once more with the help of Brother Blood who, like every other villain, had about a million lives. They had suffered more than anyone could know but they had survived together.

"I can't wait," Raven said suddenly and she knew it was a thought they all shared. After so many years, they would finally be together again. Well, almost. With dark years behind them, they hoped for the best in the future and looked to the present.

* * *

A cookie to those who know who HE is (beginning of chapter). Come on guys, its obvious!

The beginning dialogue and situation with Robin and Bats comes loosely from the first issue of Teen Titans: A Kid's Game.

The train ride plot and a little of the dialogue comes from **The Boys** (I dunno what issue it is but it's from the Nightwing comics)


	41. Chapter 41

I have been procrastinating so much that I am ashamed. However, I would like all of you to know that there might be one or two more chapters left which means they will be long and final. The endign is VERY near so...yay!

That said, somethins is wrong with this chapter, i just don't know what...

* * *

_When you part from your friend,_

_you grieve not_

_For that which you love _

_most in him_

_May be clearer in his absence _

_as the mountain to the climber_

_is clearer from the plain._

**---excerpt from 'The Prohet' by Khalil Gibran**

"So what's this all about?" Gar's confused voice drifted through the halls of the Justice League Headquarters in New York. The halls looked like those of a hospital, clean, polished, and bare with no sign of those who inhabited the place. It was the biggest contradiction to Titans' Tower's wall whose walls contained pictures, stains of all the foods every eaten there, and marks of every kind imaginable. It made the place more livable, a lot homier instead of the blank board this place was. That was the biggest difference that the Titans tried to have in their team; the fact that they were not just a superhero team but also, they were friends first and foremost.

"The League wanted to talk to us, that's all."

Though Victor's answer was short, Gar could understand the levity of the statement. The League never _just _wanted to see someone for the hell of it. There was also a fine print. As the three ex-Titans walked along the halls, they encountered grouchy looking heroes along the way. More tired than anything else, they mumbled a weak 'hey' to the younger heroes and kept on. Their schedules were grueling, allowing them little time to be their alter egos and more time being a super. The result of those hours were shown in their every day enthusiasm when they arrived at the Headquarters. Raven, Victor, and Gar were super hyped at the moment, though. Not only would they be meeting a long lost friend today but the Teen Titans would be meeting them that day as well. All of the older mentors had given the ok to the teens, including Wonder Woman though very hesitantly and grudgingly.

Bouncing on the ball of his feet, Garfield was the first to step foot in the conference room. A large space with a round table in the middle and computers all around it and the smell of a newly founded hospital, the room was quite intimidating to Garfield. He was too used to having a smaller, intimate space with a pizza thrown in the middle of the table instead of the manilla carpets this table had. The Justice League was there already, standing around with their perspective students. Robin stood side by side with Batman, both of them had the furrow of the brow perfected. They stood with their arms folded across the chest, looking dangerously cool compared to the others. Wonder Woman stood talking to Wonder Girl who seemed to be listening but in truth, she was as far away as anyone could be. The Flash and Kid Flash were also conversing but they were doing it so fast that it all seemed marred and their movements a blur. They didn't seem to be arguing though which helped the atmosphere. Superman stood in his length with Superboy at his side and the similarities were uncanny. However, they would soon find out how different they really were.

The teens all seemed to heave a sigh of relief when they saw their new mentors and all scattered to get to them. They smiled as they greeted each other and at the ex-Titans; they finally looking more relaxed than before. Victor gathered them close for their first instructions.

"Welcome to the Teen Titans," he said proudly and Kid Flash cheered, "The first thing you must know is that you will be spending only weekends at the Tower. Now before you start moaning," something Kid Flash already started doing, "It will only be until your mentors start getting used to it."

They nodded solemnly but were willing to accept it. For now.

"I don't think that's the only reason why we're here today, right?"

Wonder Girl had a clear, strong voice and her blond hair shined brightly behind her. She looked nothing like Wonder Woman but the role of hero suited her perfectly. Her eyes shone with the character of a super, still raw but ready to be molded.

"You're right, gorgeous," said Gar flirtatiously but Raven didn't mind. Gar had always been like this, even when they were younger, believing himself to be quite the Casanova. But as Raven had once told him, not every one liked the pointy ears and smell of wet dog.

"We're waiting for a friend," Raven added, smiling softly at the young girl. Wonder Girl's plump lips turned into an 'O' and nodded.

"Where's Nightwing?" Flash asked out loud but when no one gave him an answer, he turned to Batman. Batman gave him a raised eyebrow, as if to say 'how should I know'.

"Well, he's your kid," Flash countered and flashed him a toothy smile. Batman's muscles jerked though he should have been used to the Flash family by now.

"So who are we waiting for?" Connor asked, his face as honest as Superman's but with a hint of doubt that his mentor never bore. His answer was soon answered when the door opened and all eyes turned to look expectantly. The sight was not who they were hoping for but the boys soon found that they didn't care. Their eyes met a tall, beautifully rounded woman with long, _long _fiery red hair, bright green eyes and luscious lips that were curved into a nervous smile. Long legs stretched her out to her full height, almost as tall as Superboy and her stomach, revealed by her uniform was flat and muscular. Her uniform could hardly be called a uniform. Around her neck, she wore armor that was encrusted with green jewels and it held up the small purple tube top she wore. Her flat stomach held what looked to be an intricate tattoo on her bellybutton though no one knew what it meant. She wore a silver plated skirt with the plates covering her just enough. With thigh high steel boots, she brought attention to herself like an alien walking into the room. Except that she _was_ alien walking into the room.

"Kori!"

Upon hearing her name, Kori turned to Raven and squealed softly, walking hurriedly to her friend and embracing her. Raven returned the embrace, her eyes serenely closing at feeling of Kori's presence within her. Her aura had changed drastically and it was the first thing Raven noticed. Far from being the innocent, naïve girl she had left as, she returned a full fledged woman with more secrets, pain, and happiness that Raven could even fathom. Kori's face was that of a woman, no longer bearing any signs of her youth. Still beautiful, it radiated maturity but her eyes, brilliant orbs of energy still danced with happiness. Her aura was full of life and experiences but Raven could bet that for her sake, all Kori was thinking right now was of positive things.

"It is wonderful to see you once more, Raven."

Her voice lost its girl pitch and was replaced by a softer, less hurried tone.

"Same here," Raven answered as she brushed a piece of long, curly hair away from her face, "Damn…"

Kori laughed at her expression and her elegant hands went to her hair as well.

"Longer than before, yes?"

Raven scoffed softly, nodding. Kori's eyes passed over Raven to Gar who stood with an open mouth. Kori walked over to him and said hello but it seemed he was too busy ogling at her to notice.

"You have to forgive him but he hasn't reached adolescence yet."

"Vic!"

Chuckling, Victor opened his arms to meet Kori's bone crushing hug.

"Ow, girl, you gotten stronger?"

Kori nodded, a grin plastered on her face. When Gar made a noise behind her, Kori turned and ruffled his hair affectionately. He quickly turned into a cat and jumped into her arms, rubbing his face against her breasts.

"Gar!"

Kori chuckled, not the bit offended but Gar would have deal with Raven later which caused him to change back and look sheepishly at his girlfriend. Given the ultimate death glare, Gar whimpered and hid behind Kori. Feeling most relieved to be back with her friends, Kori felt the tension leave her shoulders to laugh once again at Gar's antics.

"Kori, I wanna introduce you to the new Titans."

Victor led her to the Teen Titans, each of the standing in a line and staring at the woman who waltzed in half naked which was saying a lot since most women in the business walked around bearing almost everything. Kori did so with a certain sensuality known by her and unhidden, like she was proud of her body. She wore her feelings on her face and her pride in her body.

Kori smiled at the first person in line, a beautiful young girl with glorious blond curls and blue eyes that reminded her instantly of someone else she knew.

"This is Wonder Girl, Cassandra Sandsmark."

"Pleasure to meet you, Wonder Girl," Kori said pleasantly at the young girl who looked up at her with wide eyes. Being only 5'4'', Wonder Girl had good reasons to look up at Kori, both figuratively as well as physically.

"Same here," she said, her voice holding no signs of being intimidated. Kori smiled gently at the girl, commenting on her uniform. Once the small talk was over, Kori moved on to the next person.

"Over here is Superboy or Connor."

"H—Hey," Connor stammered, looking at Kori as well and trying to keep his eyes on her eyes, not…somewhere else. Cassie shot a deadly look at Connor but he was still too caught up in trying to say something comprehensible that he didn't notice.

"Conner, welcome to the Titans," Kori said kindly but got a mumble of a response. Smiling sweetly at him, she gave him a look of concern before moving onto the next Titan.

"Kid Flash a.k.a. Bart Allen."

"I-have-no-real-clue-of-who-you-are-but-you-sure-is-sexy-Hey-if-we-are-going-to-be-living-in-the-Tower-together-do-you-think-you-and-I-could-have-a-little-private-tutoring?"

His quick, incomprehensible speech was ended with a coy wink and Kori had to narrow her eyes at him. She instantly saw him as the Beast Boy of the group and was glad they were so similar to the original Titans. Kori didn't say anything to him but gave him a knowing smile to which Bart all but melted in front of her.

"And this is Robin. Just—Robin."

"Ahh…"

Robin nodded at her but didn't say anything. He was impressed with her aura, her appearance, her whole being but growing up with the Bat taught him how to hide things well. He merely glanced at her and was surprised to see her looking down on his kindly, almost reminiscently.

"Keeping the _Robin_ tradition going?" she asked softly and Robin nodded after a second or so, finally comprehending what she meant. He had yet to tell his friends his name.

She laughed softly but it was a sad laugh, like her moments with the old Robin hadn't been enough. Robin knew enough about their relationship to understand why she looked at him like that and for a moment, he felt saddened for her and Nightwing alike. He pondered if he should mention him but Victor interrupted his train of thought.

"Now don't you go falling for this one," he joked and Kori tore her eyes from him to smile at Victor.

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for the green tights."

They shared a laugh but Robin didn't' think it was that funny. The tights always bothered him and didn't help his teenage self esteem, especially when a knock out woman like Kori mentioned it. When Kori turned around, she was met by the Justice League who received her far more coldly than anyone else. They nodded their hello's or simply just looked at her, all except Superman who extended his hand for a welcome.

"I bet you she can beat Supes in a hand wrestling match," Kid Flash mumbled to Superboy who was far enough from Kori to regain consciousness and roll his eyes at the younger man.

"Batman," Kori nodded at him, no sign of a smile but also, no sign of any dislike. Batman gave a short, curt nod at her in response. Everyone was used to this kind of coldness from him but no one truly knew that Batman knew Kori personally enough for her not to be affected by his remoteness. In fact, none of the new Titans or the Justice League knew Kori well enough to make a judgment about her. All they knew was that she had dated Nightwing when he had been Robin and as far as they knew, she had never met Nightwing before. A small uncomfortable moment passed and The Flash, an impatient man opened his mouth and rapidly, almost as rapidly as Kid Flash, asked who they were waiting for and what was taking so long. Batman opened his mouth to answer but the door swished on his side and the person who they were all waiting for entered.

"Sorry guys, the damn alarm clock decided to wake me up extra early…"

The man's eyes were closed as he placed the mask hastily on, almost tripping as he entered the room. The blue streak on his uniform shone brighter than usual against the dark suit and it was this one streak that differentiated him from any other hero. His hair was long but not as long as Kori would have liked. The old Nightwing used to have hair past the shoulder. This Nightwing had shoulder length hair but it was tied back into a messy ponytail, making him look ravishing like he just got out of bed which, knowing who he was, he probably had. Gar made a sound of confusion at his statement which Nightwing instantly recognized after so many years of living with him and while he fixed his mask, he explained.

"I fell back asleep. The alarm is pretty much destroyed on my bedroom floor."

The mask in place, his eyes rose to meet everyone, the grin still on his face over his late morning. However, upon seeing Kori, the grin slid off his face like jelly off a wall. A sturdy yet gentle chin eased his otherwise manly face. A tender five o'clock shadow grew around his chin but his smile recovered the boyish undertones that made both Nightwing and Richard so handsome.

"Nightwing," Kori stated, the name rolling off her tongue like warm honey. A few confused glances bounced around the room and Kid Flash actually asked out loud how she knew his name. It was Cyborg who answered simply, "She knew Nightwing way before Nightwing did."

Nightwing's mouth opened slightly and he sucked in a breath, holding it close to him before letting it out in the form of her name.

"Koriand'er."

The sound of her full name, not her nickname or alias surprised Kori quite a bit, especially from Richard. She smiled, however and walked close to him. He looked at her with an open eyes and even wider mouth. Five years had passed since he had last seen her and now here she stood in front of him, like he had imagined so many times in his sleep. A woman that ravished his eyesight and made his brain go all fuzzy, reminding him of the times before he had grown up to become Nightwing.

"You've gotten taller," she said but in truth she had to look down a little at him.

"So have you," he stuttered slightly but it just made Kori's smile widen. She looked down upon his uniform and finally thawing slowly from his reverie, Nightwing gave her a coy smile.

"Well?" he asked, also looking down briefly at his uniform. Kori's eyebrows furrowed a little and he instantly remembered that line in between her forehead when she was in thought.

"It used to be a bird," she said after a while, her gentle touch making him jump a little but he let her hand stay on his symbol but then her face cleared and she beamed at him, "I like this, though. It's similar to something I've seen before."

Nightwing gave her a handsome smile before speaking. Of course she would remember. _He_ still remembered everything from before.

"My dad used to wear this design on his acrobatic uniform."

Comprehension lit her green eyes and Nightwing was struck abut how much and at the same time, how little she had changed.

"Yes, the picture in your room…"

Nightwing nodded with her, his own excitement at seeing her once more building.

"Jeez, Kori, you look…incredible…"

She blushed slightly, surprised he could still do that as well. Their eyes met and though his were masked, she could still vividly remember the heavenly color of his irises. She could tell that behind the surprise, he was a bit hurt with her. She couldn't blame him. After promising never to fall apart, Kori had stopped all communication with him after a year or so. She had not wanted to, of course, but life had a funny way of not caring. The war Tamaran had been caught in had sent her to hell and back and suddenly talking to Richard had been delayed for days, weeks, months, and finally years. In the middle of their reverie, the door swished open again behind Nightwing and a beautiful woman rolled in a wheelchair. Kori tore her eyes away from Nightwing and saw the woman with red hair, a childish smile on her face, and bright eyes shining on her face.

"Barbara!"

As if not noticing Barbara was in a wheelchair, Kori bent down and hugged her tight, catching Barbara by surprise but she soon melted into her embrace.

"Wow, Kori, nature's been good to you."

Kori chuckled and looked down on her. Her voice was the same but lower, more serious than before though it still held a touch of playfulness. Her eyes had gotten greener, her hair a lot deeper but those were subtle differences. It was only then that Kori noticed the difference but before she could say anything, Barbara beat her to it.

"New fashion accessory," she said lightly, looking down at her wheelchair, "I got too lazy to walk anyway."

Kori smiled sadly at her but soon bent down to hug her once more. She knew she wasn't the only one who had seen unfair horrors in her life.

"You look just as beautiful as you did before, if not more," she whispered in Barbara's ear which made her chuckle.

"Flattery will get you everywhere with me."

Laughing, Kori pulled back but her long curls got caught in something. She cried out softly which alerted Barbara as she began to pull back. Barbara told her to hold on and pried her hair from something in her hand. Waiting patiently, Kori finally got her hair dislocated from whatever it had been caught in.

"The ring…" Barbara mumbled as she waved her fingers out of Kori's hair. Kori expressed her surprise at seeing it was an engagement ring and squealed when Barbara confirmed it. The room seemed to draw in a breath when Kori asked who the lucky man was and even Barbara seemed nervous to answer. But though Kori had been on Earth for some time with the Titans and had left, she instantly knew what this uncomfortable air was. It was then Kori turned to Nightwing who looked upon her face with hooded eyes and the smile slowly filtered out of her face. The silence in the room was overwhelming as Kori unraveled to her height and turned to look at Nightwing, her own mask blank. Her eyes searched for an answer in his, her lips set in a grim line. Everyone knew how she was. Pointed by emotions, the room full of heroes expected tears, cries of sadness, anything that was not what she did at the moment.

Everyone in the room was nervous enough to fill in the space with dark energy but Kori's happy squeal cut in like a knife. She threw her arms around Nightwing and congratulated him, her eyes brilliantly shining with real happiness before moving on to Barbara who received yet another hug. Needless no say, everyone had _not_ been expecting that response. Especially not Barbara and Nightwing but Kori had proven to be surprise to everyone that day. While her squeals took up the whole room, Batman declared they needed to get down to business. The atmosphere cleared quickly.

The heroes chatted as they walked down to the round table and Kori congratulated the new developments, looking honestly happy and sticking out like sore thumb against the Justice League. The order of business was very important that day. Batman had Robin and Nightwing by his sides and Nightwing had Barbara or Oracle as she was now called by his side as well. Kori was situated in front of Barbara but not near Batman which was how she liked it. She didn't like his energy which made her scoot next to Raven and Victor, both whom she was extremely comfortable next to. The leader of the Justice League started.

"This isn't the biggest crisis we have ever faced but it's important," Superman paused, leaning back against this seat, "To simplify it, it is a mission to stop Kalapatt from selling weapons to the Morrats who have threatened Earth several times if we do not change our multi-cultural ways."

"Grr?" growled Gar in a questioning fashion, his confused look matching most of the other Titans'.

"What he's saying's that they don't like it that Earth has so many cultures under one roof," Victor explained patiently, "Try to keep up, green genes."

"Ahhh," passed through the whole table, comprehension finally setting in and gar gave him a death glare through his cat-like eyes.

"Kalapatt?" Nightwing asked, his eyes instantly going to Kori who gave him a tiny smile and nodded in comprehension.

"Yes, Nightwing, that's why Kori is here with us today," Superman passed the conversation on to Kori who thanked him kindly and took over.

"Well, before I start, I must inform you all of the history between me and Kalapatt," she drew in a breath as she started her speech, "I am the crown princess of Tamaran and as such, I was engaged to the prince of Kalapatt from a young age. To battle against our enemies, I was—married to Karras who is now my husband."

Kori deliberately tried to keep her eyes away from Nightwing who looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. In fact, his splutter of surprise made them all pause. Everyone knew the history between them because everyone knew Nightwing. He was the connection between all of them and truly, he was the one that kept them sane.

"Still, with Kalapatt as our allies, we were unfortunately not able to defeat the Gordanians or the Citadel and in the end, my home planet was utterly destroyed with the war. My husband was killed in the last battle and though our marriage was strictly a political one, I have never been as proud of my husband as I was that day."

She paused to honor her dead husband but soon continued on, smiling thankfully at Raven who gave her comfort in more ways than one.

"I must now return to Kalapatt to inform them of a small unfortunate matter concerning myself and in turn, to offer them something else to ease their worries about finance. In other words, an alliance between Earth and Kalapatt will be formed and we will not have to worry about the Morrats any longer."

"Wait, back up for a minute there, what's the thing that you got to do for them in order for them to make us their allies?" Nightwing asked with a furrow of the brow. She recognized the line in his forehead as that one of confusion but desperately trying to piece it together. She could see it in his mannerism that the first moment they could get together, he would bombard her with questions.

"Well, Nightwing, I wasn't very well liked by Karras' family and though they had no choice but to marry him off to me, they wanted nothing more than to sever ties. Now they can do that."

"Why?" asked Victor, leaning back against the chair with ease. Kori looked at him sadly and he got the point. It was a show of how much the Titans understood each other, even after all these years to know these small gesture and go along with them. He was about to say something, probably to go on with the debriefing but Kori deemed it necessary to say it.

"I was—with child during the war," she drew in a quick breath and looked away from all of them and straight ahead, "But it was not to be for I lost the child. This was the last tie between me and the Kalapattians and this is what I will share with them. With no heir, I am no longer connected to Kalapatt. Hopefully, I will be able to raise their spirits enough to make allies with Superman and Earth."

No one said anything but they all thought the same thing, even the Justice League who had just come to know her. No one deserved such a tragedy. And the Titans knew that _she _didn't deserve this kind of tragedy. Nightwing let out a strangled cough but Kori didn't dare raise her eyes.

"Is everything settled then?" Superman asked and without waiting for an answer. He clasped his hands together and continued on.

"We need to pick who's accompanying Starfire and I," he gave Star a look as if to say that she too had a say in it.

"Will Batman come with us?" she asked in a low voice, almost timidly but Starfire had seen and done too much to be timid around the Dark Knight now.

"I don't know," Superman said honestly, _"Is_ Batman coming?"

All eyes were on the masked knight and he gave a short, curt nod to confirm.

"Cool, then can I come?" Kid Flash asked excitedly but The Flash was the first to put his foot down.

"It's just a few people," he said with a bemused smile on his face as he turned to look at Nightwing, "Are _you_ going?"

Nightwing shook his head, looking very displeased about the fact.

"The 'haven needs me," he said darkly and looked Kori straight in the eyes. It was like he couldn't believe it was really her. After all those years of not hearing from her… he needed to catch her before she left again.

The meeting continued for a while more before it was unofficially adjourned by the Titans who at this time grew magnificently bored. Nightwing saw no problem with this and followed the Titans out of the room, leaving the older members behind to keep wasting their lives away. He caught Kori around the arm and surprised her quite a bit, making her jump a few inches into the air. He apologized wearily but she knew what he wanted. No one gave any objections and so Nightwing gently pulled her away. Barbara passed by and beamed up at both of them; she knew as well they needed some time together and had no opposition against it.

Walking through the bare halls together merely marked how much time had passed. She was still taller than him, far more beautiful than before, and still able to render him speechless. As always, she helped the conversation move along.

"I am sorry for disappearing on you," she started out gently, bowing her graceful head at him, "After the war commenced, I had rare alone time which meant that—"

"You don't have to explain," Nightwing said quickly but in reality the only reason she didn't have to explain was because she had already done that at the meeting. Her words wounded him greatly, not only because he hadn't been there for her like he promised himself he always would but also that she hadn't had the courtesy to pick up the communicator and told him all the stuff that had happened to her. She and he had been so close, so connected and now, standing side by side with her, he felt like something had changed between them, something so drastic that he couldn't pinpoint it properly.

"I do have to explain," she answered, her eyes lighting the halls as they meandered without a destination, "I haven't been a good friend to you. I should have contacted you in all these five years…"

"I should have done the same," he responded but shook his head at the whole thing, "Anyway, you're back so we can start new."

He met confused green orbs staring back at him and quickly remediated the situation.

"I mean, as friends, of course."

"Of course," Kori echoed, a smile lighting her face and although Nightwing tried to look for some sort of sadness in the fact that they were back to being friends, he saw none. She was genuinely happy for him.

"I can't believe you're marrying Barbaa," Kori said suddenly, as if reading his memory but it was something she always seemed to be able to do, "I never thought you would get married."

Her chuckle drew him once more. She wasn't angered at the fact that he hadn't waited for her and _god, had he waited_. Sleepless nights had passed by the millions and hard times only made him miss her more. When she cut off all connection with him, the darkest parts of his life had come to pass. Batman and Nightwing were not talking at all, even more so when another Robin turned up a few weeks and Richard quit. Without Kori, without her ever presence and her confidence, Nightwing had felt totally alone. And through all the trouble he had gone through with the Bludhaven, the earthquake in Gotham, Batman, and finally the Crisis, he felt utterly desolated.

Until Barbara.

"She's been there for me through all the hard times," he smiled at her and though she smiled back, it was an apologetic style.

"Oh Richard," she whispered brokenly, "I am so sorry, truly…"

"No worries," he waved his hand at her apology, "it seems every time I feel miserable about what happens to me, you always seem to have it worse."

He turned his head at her, a steady, grown gaze at her that made her see just how much time had passed between them.

"You were married and about to have a child," he said disbelievingly, "Yet you lost them both and still, here you are, a big grin on your face like noting happened," he looked at her face with awed eyes, "I'll never know how you keep smiling through it all."

"It's a gift," she joked and her eyes brightened noticeably at him, "You're so handsome, Richard."

Needless to say, that got him to blush. Scratching his head, he murmured a thanks and finally stopped walking, resting his hands on one of the horizontal poles near the window that overlooked New York City.

"After you come back from the mission, you'll be staying?"

It was simple enough question but to Kori, it was far more difficult than anything he could have asked.

"I don't know," she answered carefully, "I have to see about other pending matters."

"Tamaran," the word uttered from his lips with a hint of bitterness that Kori instantly caught.

"Yes, Tamaran."

Her own words were laced with the same tone.

"So Karras?"

His inquiry made her smile at him. Still the same as always, he asked the hard question with nervousness and guilt, like he shouldn't be asking her such things.

"Yes, Richard, Karras," she sighed leaning on the pole and looking at the millions lights that the city gave off, reminding her of the days when she had been so entranced by Gotham City, "Karras and I cared for each other as friends. Neither of us had any desire to marry; in fact, Karras was in love with someone else as well."

She sighed, resting her chin on her hands and staring into the city.

"Such things did not matter. We were still wed and as royalty, we _had _to conceive," a pause rested between them and Nightwing felt like she had more to say so he stayed quiet.

"To tell you the truth, Richard, some part of me was—glad I lost the child. I mean, I had not wanted it but I would have loved it with all my might. It would have been born in war and lived in famine which is not something I want for any child. It's better off this way…" she turned to him, a grimace on her face, "Is that a horrible thing to say?"

After giving it some thought, Nightwing shook his head and leaned alongside her.

"It's the truth and it's always hard to say it but—I agree with you. Maybe it's better your child wasn't born in war."

He gave her a grin, a flash of lightheartedness that made Kori smile back.

"Besides," he continued, "You'll have plenty of opportunities to have children."

Chuckling, Kori nodded and continued to stare out toward the city. There were many more things to come in those days but they would meet it when it came.

* * *

See ya 


	42. Chapter 42

Does anyone notice the small details I give in the older chapters keep appearing? The alarm clock, the eyes, the picture…anything…? Oh man, I suck as a writer…

Also, I'm sorry that I didn't update this weekend like I usually do. The last Harry Potter book came out and between the laughing and uncontrollable sobbing, I was a little caught up. Excuse me, I have to cry again…

* * *

'_To err is human but it feels divine."_

---Mae West

_"You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough."_

---Mae West

Just as easy as it had been talking to Richard, Kori found out that talking to Barbara was the same. She had been gone from Earth for about a week to make amends with the Morrats and to successfully retract her title as future Queen of Kalapatt but when she came back, she found that things on Earth had changed drastically once more. Her friends had their own lives now; Raven was back from her home universe, feeling better than before and though her story was one of angst and sorrow, it seemed to have worked out for the best.

"I've died more times than I can count," Raven told her one day while they sipped coffee at a café, "But Gar's been there through all those times."

Kori heard her story with intensity. Her father had once again taken over her body but this time, not just as a portal but as revenge. According to Raven, that had been far worse than any egotistical selfish plot to take over the world. Her body had been destroyed in the inner war she had with her father and though Gar had gone to great lengths to preserve her, it had taken years for her to revive. Gar had been there for her as always, though, even though he too had his own share of problems with the Doom Patrol, the Brotherhood of evil, and his own inner demons. And yet there they were, still together and still pretty damn happy.

Gar was very much a kid still, happy to watch morning cartoons with 'dude' coming out of his mouth frequently but at the same time, his eyes had deepened with a certain level of maturity that Kori was sure was Raven's work. Raven's own dark eyes sparkled with mischief every time she turned to look at Gar and the smile that often graced her pale face was easier to come and stayed a lot longer. In the end, after watching the couple for some time, Kori had come to see just how they bounced off each other. They were like a fine tuned clock with every piece working in sync with each other to be happy, content, and it seemed to be working. They held hands constantly and the small glances they threw each other said more than any passionate kiss they shared.

Her next date had been with Cyborg who instantly offered her to become a teacher to the New Titans, a job she had no desire for. She was not the teaching kind, no matter how sweet or caring she was. To have the fate of these young heroes in her hands was not the responsibility she longed for. She didn't think she was patient enough or even smart enough to understand these new Titans who seemed prone to lying, revenge, and so much miscommunication that they hurt each other without even trying. Kori had already been there and done that. She wanted no part in it again.

Still, thanks to Cyborg's pleading and his explanations, Kori had accepted though very reluctantly to participate in his new mission. That said, she moved into the new Titans' Tower in San Francisco and tried to rebuild her life on Earth, a task she soon found to be impossible. Living with the new Titans was a task in itself. They were loud, rude, and somewhat obnoxious. Kori shuddered to think if the original Titans had been the same. Then again, she had been part of the obnoxious group as well. A lot older now, Kori realized that her maturity was the only thing that set her apart from the New Titans. They had seen their fair share of hardship but Kori could trump them at that any day. So living with the Titans was not something she was enjoying; in fact, she spent most of her time in the garden where she attempted to plant some new rare flowers in order to get away from the commotion.

On a particular lovely night, Richard and Barbara invited her over their apartment for dinner, something Kori was very hesitant about but not wanting to be rude, she accepted happily. On top of that, she would get away from the Titans, something she desired more than anything else at the moment. Over the last few nights, she had spent the evenings thinking the past away. Everything from her days as one of the Titans to just being Kori seemed to be nothing more than a good dream. And now that she was back in reality, the dull ache in her chest became stronger, angrier as days passed.

Every time she saw Nightwing passing by (which was not that often, actually) she knew, somewhere deep in her heart, that her best years had passed. Nightwing was kept very busy all the time. Not only as Bludhaven's protector but also as the occasional partner to Batman and Robin as well as the occasional team member of the Titans, the Justice League, and the leader of the Outsiders. It seemed Nightwing had become the go-to guy for every team and Kori had no trouble seeing why. In the days of the Titans, he had been an extraordinary leader and she knew if he was nothing else, it was _that_. The ability to get well with others, be an incredible teacher, and still be kind enough to share caring words was what made him so desirable to each team. Still, Kori saw him enough to have her share of heartache every time she saw the hints of sky blue eyes behind his mask. She had heard little tid-bits from every one around her and so far, she summed up that the years she had not been there for him had been the worst. Though he seemed to get along with Batman just fine now, she had heard how horrible it had been for him to get over the fact that Batman had discarded him so quickly and just as fast, he had picked another Robin to take his place. She heard about his desire to make Bludhaven his but the harsh realities he had to come to when he did. He had heard about Donna Troy who, incidentally, Kori had met during a particular mission in outer space and had actually become quite close to her. Still, she hadn't heard that Donna had passed away and it made her heart ache even more to realize just how she had died. Nightwing had faced the Crisis and died in spite of it and yet he was still here today, alive and kicking.

Kori felt more regret as the days urged on.

On the particular night she met both Richard and Barbara, she had just finished her first job as a model, a position given to her by Diana or Wonder Woman. She had seen the first and only photo of her in the spread of a famous magazine that wondered _'where in the world such a beautiful model had disappeared to?'_ When Diana sought Kori out, it had been to offer her the latest opportunities in the fashion industry and Kori, once again reluctantly agreed to it. Through this new resource, Kori found out things about her old Titans days she never knew about. One of them was a source in a religious newspaper about how the heroes were living in absolute sin under one roof unsupervised. It read that the morality of such a condition was the gateway to condemnation and being superheroes was not something that forgave you in the eyes of God.

Article after article, she discovered things about the public's view of the Titans she hadn't known before. Many of them still saw them as good Samaritans but others saw those small flaws in them and exaggerated them into larger objections. The person most picked on was Raven due to her half demon heritage and though Kori could understand the point of view of worried civilians (especially after all that's happened to the city) Raven had still been there to save their hides countless of times, despite it all.

That was the last time she ever picked up old newspapers and decided to focus on the new. On the way to Richard's apartment, Kori felt so nervous she couldn't stop fidgeting with her dress. She wore a simple summer dress in green and white stripes, complimenting her body shape without revealing much. Still, as she walked across San Francisco, she could feel eyes on her body at all times, a feeling she should have been used to after living on Earth for four years, being the leader of an army for another four, and the Queen of Kalapatt for five. Still, she wished she could arrive quickly to his house and the same time, never arrive at all.

The apartment building was a pretty one and the neighborhood was nice as well. Kori couldn't imagine him living in anything like this. Wither he was surrounded by riches in Wayne Manor or surrounded by blue furry food in Titans' Tower. Still, this was one of the many reflections of how much things had changed. He was the first one to greet her and allow her into his home. His apartment was spacious but it had the sign of a married couple already. The living room was decorated with a woman's touch while Kori knew that if it was up to Richard, it would have been loaded with work or at least a space in which to work in. Yet everything was neat and tidy, clean and organized so unlike Richard. While waiting for Barbara, they talked happily about old times which seemed the only thing they could talk about.

Sighing, Kori leaned back against the couch, allowing herself to really look at Richard. The hair was still as messy as ever though the spikes were long gone. His eyes still reflected off the blue luminosity which he had been born with and sparkled with the same kind of childish sincerity in them. His lips still had the traces of setting in a serious line whenever talking about important matters. He still sounded like Richard but was he still the same Richard she used to know?

Little did she know the same thoughts were going through his head about her as well.

* * *

"The dinner was delicious, Barbara," Kori sighed contently, putting her chin on top of her joined hands, "You'll make Richard a happy man indeed." 

Barbara laughed heartily, elbowing Richard on his ribs.

"Hear that? You should be happy to have me as your future wife."

"Not if you keep hitting me like that," he joked, grimacing slightly at the poke and sipping a little but of wine left on his glass.

"So Kori, what are your plans for the future?" Barbara asked, leaning in toward the younger woman with wide eyes.

Kori, on her part, leaned further back on her chair and decided to answer honestly.

"I don't know really. I don't think I'm meant to be part of the Titans once more," she twirled her glass in her hand, "And I don't really want to work as a model either…"

"But you're having such success with it already," Barbara announced quite surprised at Kori's words. A few pictures taken and already she had become the new hot young star of San Francisco, something that seemed to happen overnight. Still, who could blame her? With such a body and her charms, it was bound to happen.

"Yes but I don't want that life."

Richard nodded, understanding what she meant. After almost a lifetime of being a superhero and suddenly be thrown out of it was unnerving. It had been the same for him during his break between Robin and Nightwing. What he didn't know was that Kori was not thinking about that.

After the dinner, things started to clear up for Kori. Suddenly, she felt like an outsider with members who should have made her feel right at home. Back at the Tower, the new Titans showed her just how different life was now. Robin was far more distrusting than Richard had been of his friends and though Kori could see he treasured their friendship, it did nothing to stop him from thinking like Batman. Even his most innocent questions seemed suspicious, like he was waiting for something big to pop up. Like the time he asked her what the tattoos on her bellybutton meant and why, all of a sudden, they were gone. She had explained that they signified her marriage to the Kalapatts and since she was no longer a future Queen, she had no right to bear it. Still, his eyes had narrowed just a bit, as if to be able to ascertain whether she was telling the truth or not. It may have been a habit but to her, it felt strange.

The rest of the Titans seemed to carry heavier burdens than what she, Raven, Gar, Vic, and Richard had ever carried. Cassie had her obvious arguments with Wonder Woman, Aries the God of War seemed to be stalking her, and her powers were on the klutz. Bart was caught between adolescence and maturity and though the potential for being The Flash was there, sometimes his immaturity took some of that away from him. Conner was caught between good and evil; having half the DNA of Superman and half of Lex Luthor, he had his own personal demons to fight. Robin…well, knowing the Robin territory for as long as Kori had known, she knew what Robin was going through more or less.

She tried to be a good teacher but with their problems and her own, it seemed to spell disaster. On top of that, her new found brother, Ryand'er had contacted her a few days back saying he found a new world which they could make their own. Ryand'er had been the last kid her parents ever had and he had been born when she was still a slave. After finding him after all those years, she felt it was her duty to show him to be the next King of Tamaran, a title she wanted no part in. Still, he needed her courage and words to point him in the right direction.

Amongst her friends, she became a stranger. Raven and Gar hung out with her as much as possible since they were also part of the Titans but now that they were together, Kori felt like she was bursting in their together time. She often wondered if that was how they had felt when she and Richard had been going out as well. With his new duties as leader, Vic kept busy most of the time and when he was not, he was with his long time girlfriend Sarah whom Kori had met and adored instantly. Everyone around her seemed happy, safe, contented. She was the outsider once more, the alien who had dropped from outer space yet again.

Richard caught onto that in a heartbeat which is why he had invited Kori to the dinner. After the dinner, he stood with her on the rooftop of his apartment building and talked with her, just like the old times in Titans' Tower.

"It's a beautiful city," she commented lightly, her hair fanning out behind her. He nodded in agreement, fingering a strand of curly red hair in his fingers. She said nothing but the first initial touch surprised her. He didn't seem to notice; he was too caught up with the rogue strand.

"Your hair grows really fast," he said lightheartedly, throwing the strand back amongst its friends. Kori smiled at him, the smile meant for him and only him.

"You know," he began softly, taking her hand in his, something that made Kori very nervous, "I'll always be there for you, whether I'm married or not. You understand that, right? You're my best friend."

She nodded with a small hesitation, especially after the word friend. That's all they were, she realized, after all they went through, they were friends after all.

"Sometimes it gets difficult to fit in a pattern of life you don't have a space in," she tried to explain but got frustrated when the words didn't come out right, "It's just that everyone has moved on with their lives and I'm kinda stuck in this time warp…"

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Suddenly she smiled at Richard who couldn't help but to smile back.

"Barbara asked me to be a bridesmaid," she whispered, as if not wanting the world to hear her, "and I accepted. Is that ok with you?"

"Yeah," Richard squeaked then cleared his voice with an embarrassed and semi confused look, "why wouldn't I be?"

She shrugged nonchalantly.

"I thought perhaps it might be weird."

"Not at all," he smiled, turning back to look at the night sky, "It feels really good having you around again."

His confession made her heart beat faster but she merely cursed herself into breathing slowly and told herself to not think too much into it.

"What do you say we hang out on Saturday?" he asked her gently, scraping a little spot on the edge of the building distractedly. Her hand was still tightly wrapped in his and the memories of when such a gesture would have meant the world to her bombarded her mind. It was not so anymore. This gesture was not for her. She kept her eyes on the half moon as she nodded and spent the rest of the night in silence, wallowing in the presence of someone whom she had come to know so intimately and sadly, someone she had lost a long time ago.

* * *

Hanging out with Richard Grayson around his new home was certainly something else. San Francisco was a great place but thanks to her gift of fight, she made her way to New York in no time. There, she was invited to stay the weekend in his home, a nicely spaced apartment where both Richard and Barbara lived. At the moment, Barbara was busy in Gotham which meant she wasn't going to be there that weekend, something that made Kori very uneasy. But when Richard commented this to Barbara, she merely smiled and told her to have a great time. Like Kori, she had total trust in Richard and Kori knew she was right to. He would never do anything to hurt the one he loved, especially something as low as cheating with an old flame. 

Her first day in New York was incredible. It was so very much like Gotham, full of excitement, life, greed, and sin. The streets smelled like life and the beauty of the people and the sights was a sight to behold. Like a labyrinth, Richard showed Kori all there was to see. With new exciting places to encounter, Kori passed her weekend away in joy and mirth, her eyes bounding on the wonder that was New York. But during the night, she would sit next to Richard in her sweats and string shirt and talk the night away with him. After so many years, she heard all the things that had happened to him in a way that no one else, not even Barbara had heard. With her, he opened up like a flower in the summer and let her absorb all the things he met head on. With honesty, he confined in her about things that not even Kori wanted to know; it would make everything so difficult for her.

"To tell ya the truth," Richard started ruefully, "I kinda asked Babs to marry me on a whim. It was a few moments before I had to leave to fight during the Crisis and I thought that _this was it_, you know. This could be the moment where I die. So with all those thoughts in my head and having dated Babs for a couple of years, I just blurted it out."

He shook his head and gave Kori a sideways glance. She focused on the glass of milk in her hand as if it contained the wonders of the universe.

"I don't think I ever thought about it until now."

"Why now?" Kori whispered, her throat mildly scratchy.

"I dunno," he answered truthfully, "Seeing you again made me think of the time you left and how I wanted to do the same thing."

Kori raised her head and her eyes met his kind smile, not so different from what he used to give her when they dated. It was still intimate but throughout the separation, it had grown less personal.

"When you were about to leave, my head went through so many ideas to get you to stay and one of them was to ask you to marry me."

Kori visibly swallowed and she was glad that he had looked toward the lightless television as he thought back.

"But then I thought it was selfish of me to try to keep you from your responsibility so I decided against it."

He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at her in time for her to put on a fake smile.

"I'm glad you're happy now, though," she whispered once more and momentarily cursed herself for not being able to speak louder.

"Yeah…" but he trailed off almost uncertainly, "…I feel lucky."

"You could sound happier," Kori said in a teasing tone but the truth in his voice made her heart beat faster.

"Sometimes…" he trailed off again and for the first time in their lives, Richard gave her a side glance that had a bit of uncertainty on whether to tell her or not. Kori didn't push it mainly because a part of her didn't want to hear it. Her hopes were elevating again. She despised that; she wouldn't drive a wedge between them. It was that moment that let her push her feelings aside and promise herself a very hard thing. To let him go completely (or at least, make it seem that way).

The day after that night was bright and since Kori's head had been filled to the brink about what she had heard from Richard even though she had promised herself not to think about it. Her eyes met the sun's brightness with resentment. That day, Barbara called and asked her a favor. Clutching a long list of numbers he was asked to go pick up her wedding dress from a shop in Lower Manhattan.

"Uh, but—" Kori started hesitantly.

"You're sweet. Thanks."

Click.

And that had been that.

With Richard's help, she took the train and headed toward the shop by herself, something Barbara had asked her to do. She didn't want Dick to see the dress yet. So with a bit of nervousness and dread, she did as she was asked. Walking through the noisy streets of Manhattan was enough to take her mind of what she had to do but even the performers on the park and on the streets could keep her busy enough from what she had to do. Once she entered the clean, air conditioned shop, she felt her heart hit her stomach. All around her, women stood smiling happily or squealing at the new dresses and the possibilities the dress brought. To be married seemed to be everyone's biggest ambition in the shop and the women were to be the luckiest people in there. With her heart pounding in her chest, she went up to the man behind a desk and cleared her throat. The man swiftly turned around to peer at her. He wore a nice white button down, clean and crisp. His khakis were the same, almost unnaturally tidy. His desk held a number of things but they were all arranged in a neat row, not one thing out of line. He looked at her kindly, his wrinkled skin suiting him and his sparkling hazel eyes wise with age.

"May I help you?" His voice clear and not containing a hint of his age.

"Y—yes, I need to pick up this dress," and she handed him the number. His eyes immediately lit up and he smiled broadly at her.

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Grayson, we have been expecting you."

"I'm not—"

"Pardon me, ma'am but we have a tendency of using your future husband's name in this store," he paused to touch her shoulder and lead her to the room where the dress was being held, "After all," he continued happily, "It shall soon be yours."

Kori didn't say anything. The man seemed so happy to be in her presence as he handed her the dress that she didn't feel like letting him down.

"Mr. Wayne has paid for the best and here it is."

Slightly surprised that Mr. Wayne had paid for it, she took the dress in its cover and held it in her arms.

"Do you wish to try it on?"

"Oh—" she gasped quite suddenly, making the old man look at her strangely, "No, no, it's ok…"

"Oh, but I insist," the man countered and led her to the dressing room, "It is the most expensive and by far most beautiful dress I have ever laid eyes upon and I have laid eye son plenty, m'dear."

Feeling horrible to be forced to do this, she prayed silently to X'hal to give her strength to do this. This was not her dress, not her wedding and she was certainly not the future Mrs. Grayson. Alone in the spacious changing room, she took her time to undress and put it on, keeping her eyes away from the mirrors all around her. She felt like she could die from humiliation at being forced to do something that broke her heart. She felt like she was committing a mortal sin. _This_ was what she had wanted for them, for herself and for Richard so long ago. She had longed to call him her own. And yet, she never got what she so desired and now she was merely pretending she did when in fact, he belonged to another woman.

"May I enter?"

The man was so delighted to see her in the dress that his hazel eyes filled with tears. Kori had no courage to look at herself in the mirror but when she saw her reflection for a second in the mirror, she could feel herself wanting to cry as well.

The dress was off the shoulders and revealed the smooth skin of her neck and shoulders. It curved to show a small a mount of cleavage, not enough to be considered slutty but rather coquettish. The dress was plain white, like vanilla ice cream and it hugged her body gently, caressing it as if congratulating her for the big day. The corset loosened as the dress made its way down with beautiful decorations on her sides and down her back. Kori stood on a special stool and the train flowed like a waterfall behind her. The trims of the train were a lovely pink, not too light to be girly but also not too dark. The patters were gorgeous, not of flowers or of nature but merely patterns that seemed to come alive with the color. The nice old man did the honor of putting the veil on. It flowed from a tiara, very simple but encrusted with jewels and the veil itself looked like spider webs, beautifully stitched and delightfully light.

The man touched the fabric and shook his head.

"Beautiful," he murmured and gave her a beaming smile. She returned it but very tentatively and she guessed the man must have sensed her nervousness.

"Do not worry, my dear. Being married is a great adventure."

She nodded hurriedly and asked to be left alone so she may change. The man nodded and gave her the privacy she needed. Without a single glance at the mirrors, she lowered her eyes and felt a tear or two fall down to the ground before she hastily changed back to her clothes which seemed to pale in comparison. After thanking the man, she all but ran out of the store and never looked back.

* * *

"How'd it go?" 

Kori sighed as she finished shutting the closet door and gave him a weak smile.

"It went ok," she lied, "I'm going to take a shower."

She could tell he knew something was wrong but he didn't pursue it. In the shower, she let the water mix with her tears and whispered what had always been echoing in her head ever since she left Earth.

"Only in the shower."

He invited her to dinner and a movie that night, her last night before going back to San Francisco. There was a small local old fashioned movie night at Central park where they could sit in the grass and watch Casablanca while eating. Wearing a light dress, she went out that night with him and though she felt like her heart had been wrenched out of her chest, she put on a smile and enjoyed her last night in New York. She had never seen Casablanca and she was sure she wouldn't have felt as emotional about it if she hadn't been going through what she was going through. Yet, the scenes and the words, and the hushed whispers between the two lovers made her want to bawl in font of everyone. It took all her courage to bite her lip and stop the tears. But throughout the weekend, Richard had noticed something was the matter with her because in reality, he had been going through the motions as well.

His hand was deliberately attracted to any part of her skin. His eyes swept over the exposed area of shoulder blades and though there was nothing particular around this area, he wanted to draw the skin into his mouth and taste her again. That's when he knew such feelings were not right. Ever since she came back, the feelings he had for her once long ago had resurfaced, stronger than ever. He hoped they would leave him quickly. Perhaps, he reasoned with himself, it was just a phase. But the days turned into weeks and still no such luck. The feelings became stronger as the hours dragged on by.

The memories of her taste, her smell, her laughter in the middle of their love making was not something he should be thinking of. He convinced himself they could remain friends but when such thoughts entered his head, he knew he couldn't go on like this.

The movie was over before they knew it and the guests started leaving byt they remained behind in the dark park. They did not fear being robbed or mugged, being who they were.

"I couldn't get you out of my head through the years," Richard confessed which made Kori gasp in mild horror.

"Richard, do not start," she warned him, her green eyes shining against the dark sky, "You are engaged."

"Yeah," he said with a nod, "but that doesn't mean that whatever feelings I had for you are gone."

"Well, then push them aside," she demanded, hugging her arms though the night was anything but cold. The wind played with the hem of her white dress, like a lover caressing his mate.

"I have been pushing them aside ever since the moment I asked Babs to marry me."

Kori felt her heart thump louder at the sound of her name.

"She will make you happy," Kori muttered, looking as two or three people began to take down the white screen where the movie had been viewed, "I have other problems to worry about. I will always be traveling space, for Tamaran, for—"

"You don't have to," Richard said in a low voice and this time, Kori noticed the difference in what he sounded like now and what he had sounded while much younger. His voice held what Batman's voice held. Experience.

"I do and you…" she continued louder, successfully cutting him off, "have a new responsibility. Barbara."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair and Kori was solely reminded when she was able to do so as well.

"Marriage shouldn't be a responsibility."

Kori laughed truthfully for the first time in weeks.

"Of course it is," she laughed, "It's the biggest responsibility there is."

Richard didn't share her laugh. He shook his head at her.

"It wouldn't be with you."

Successfully taken back, Kori almost choked. Her eyes widened at him. He said it so bluntly, so honestly but—what about Barbara?

"What about Barbara?" she asked shrilly, ashamed to even be having this conversation with him.

"I love her," he told her with a far away look in his eyes and blue orbs moved to a spot between them, "but when you came back, I felt this ache in my heart, like it was being torn in two. When I heard you got married, I wanted to teleport myself to wherever Karras was and beat the living shit out of him. When I heard you had been pregnant—I think that's when I knew I was still in love you. I wanted that child to be ours."

Kori got up suddenly, wiping her dress with shaking hands.

"That's enough," she said coldly, "I will not have you throwing away your future because of an old crush.'

And she was surprised to hear that she meant it. After all, Kori was not just the alien from outer space turned Titan. She was the one in charge of Tamaran, of her race's survival and though her brother might be a great leader, he was still young and in need of help. She wouldn't let Richard throw everything away for one single happy moment with her.

"I am quite tired, Richard. I should like to go back to the apartment."

Sighing, Richard nodded and also got up, straightening himself out. Kori waited patiently, her entire body trembling. The trip back home was quiet, as if someone had died that night. It was only when Kori was in her pajamas and was about to go to sleep that she sneaked into his room—no, his and Barbara's room and aroused him from an early sleep. He turned to stare at her through bright, shocked eyes. The stars twinkled in his blue oceans.

"There is a story I heard from a friend," Kori started quietly, close enough to him to smell the tinge of shampoo he had used, "and it speaks of a god named Krishna. He was by far the most beautiful man ever to touch the Earth and many women came to him when he played his flute. The gopis danced around him for his delight but one particular gopi caught his attention. Her name was Radha and she too was as beautiful as he was."

He started to speak but Kori held to fingers to his lips, touching the plump pieces of flesh she had captured not so long ago.

"They fell in love for they were whole with each other. Krishna was not himself without her; Radha utterly completed him. But time and life tore them apart and while Krishna married many gopis as he traveled and Radha also married another man, legend says that every time Krishna plays his flute, it is only for Radha and his one desire is to see her dance and sing as he plays for her. She always returns to him, no matter what. She's always his, no matter what."

She smiled sadly at him, letting out a big breath as her forehead touched his. The moonlight shone gently on them and his hazy eyes could see the bright green eyes yearning to touch him and her breath was so close to him he could have closed the space in between with a single movement.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Perhaps he was too chocked to have her come into his room in the middle of the night or perhaps it was because she was so closed but he did not respond her. Kori didn't seem to mind, though and just as quietly as she had crept into his room, she left, leaving her scent behind to remind him that she had indeed been so close to him that his lips could have touched hers if he wanted.

And he wanted to so badly.

* * *

Richard didn't see her after that incident for a while but in his mind, her words replayed in his head a million times over. His heart yearned for her and though hard as he may try, every time he touched Barbara's skin, he imagined it was Kori's. Every time Barbara's green eyes settled on his, he wished they were Kori's. And that's when he knew he couldn't keep the ruse any longer. He knew, deep in his heart, that his proposal had been reckless, without thinking properly and that Batman had often warned him about such moments. 

After so many years of hatred, bitterness, and anger, he and Bruce were on speaking terms again and once could even go as far as saying that they were closer to each other than ever before. Richard knew this to be true. He felt about Bruce the way he had felt when he was a younger boy. Bruce was his father, his role model, the person he trusted most of all once again. And he hated to disappoint him, especially when it came to Barbara. Richard didn't think there was anyone happier to find out he was getting married to Babs than Bruce had been. It had been no secret that he had not liked Kori at all. Richard never tried to sugar coat this and neither did he. What would he say to the fact that Richard had indeed fallen for her all over again?

What would everyone else say? The Titans had already seen what was wrong and had interrogated him quite a few times. It seemed they were smarter than he was at times. Though his answers had been vague, all of them could tell there was something blossoming between the two older Titans again. The Justice League had also felt something coming from them. Like a wall, there was something driving the apart as well as driving them closer, always on the other side of each other but never quite there. The Outsiders, well…most of them just took their time to taunt the living hell out of him so he didn't quite pay as much attention to them as the rest.

It was only a matter of time before Batman intervened.

"I need a word."

Batman uttering this line was not something Nightwing had longed for. Dressed in his usual cowl and cape, Batman was far more menacing to talk about this kind of stuff that Bruce Wayne which is, in Nightwing's mind anyway, is the reason he chose to do so. Cursing him lightly, Nightwing had no choice but to follow the Dark Knight as they walked through the roofs of Gotham late one night.

"Is there something going on?" he asked Nightwing once they stopped at the top of one of the tallest buildings, ironically, not Wayne Enterprises. Nightwing thought for a moment about whether or not he wanted to talk to him about…_this. _And Nightwing did wonder how he knew about this. Yes, he was the great almighty Batman but had he been hat obvious over the few weeks that had passed? Maybe it was because he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, or perhaps the fact that he seemed to go out of his way to touch her or talk to her, and maybe the reason he knew was the fact that he became awfully close to her, physically as well as mentally rather quickly.

"Like…?" he offered but Nightwing could see in the small twitch of his hooded eye that he didn't want to beat around the bush.

"Don't do this to her."

Nightwing knew exactly who this 'her' was.

"I'm trying not to," he answered sincerely, secretly talking about both of Kori and Babs.

"Barbara has been at your side this whole time while Kori has been—"

"Fighting an intergalactic battle," Nightwing cut him off quite rudely, "Just because she and I are not dating doesn't mean you can say whatever you want about her. She's still my best friend."

"And that's how she should remain," Batman deadpanned but this did nothing to Nightwing who was used to Batman's simple ways. She was an alien and that equaled a bad person, a distrustful person.

"Why?"

Batman turned to him, a look of surprise on his face, a task only Nightwing could successfully do.

"Because you're engaged," Batman responded darkly. Nightwing swung his legs over the edge of the roof, very much like an acrobat and sat lightly on the brick edge. He brought on leg upward and rested his arm on his knees, pondering deeply into the night.

"I love Barbara," he told Batman who had not moved from his spot, "And she's been there for me this whole time, I know. But—when I asked her to marry me, I was reckless, I was reaching for anything—I was about to face death. It seemed like the right thing to do."

He sighed and raised a hand to cut Batman off once more. Nightwing was sure he had one more of these 'cut-offs' before Batman got angry.

"I buried that thought deep inside of me and it seems like it got loose after I saw Kori. I've never stopped loving her, even when I hated her. She may have not been there for me when the Crisis happened or when I turned into Nightwing but—I still love her."

His speech said, he let the words fly off with the wind around them. The city lights winked at him, as if to give him comfort. The sun was slowly setting so the sky had turned a lovely magenta, bleeding into the buildings around him.

"Then stop dragging Barbara down with you."

Not only did the realization that Batman was actually telling him to follow his heart instead of his head surprise the living shit out of him but the fact that he was willing to accept his decision was mind blowing.

"Grr?" was all Nightwing could think of saying.

"You're a lot of things, Nightwing but you're not a bad person. Don't drag Barbara into this. Break it off with her. Now."

Nightwing nodded numbly, staring into the silhouette of the city.

"I never meant for this to happen," Nightwing said and Batman punctuated it with a grunt, "And I know Kori feels like crap about it too," Batman gave a harsher grunt, "I think it'll be harder to convince Kori than to break it off with Babs."

Batman didn't say anything about this but Nightwing laughed nervously. The two men remained quite still on that rooftop until batman muttered something that Nightwing had always longed to hear.

"I trust your judgment, son."

The sun set low unto the city, like a lover into the night.

* * *

"Hey, Mister," Barbara's cheery voice resounded through the hall. The small apartment was one of the two they shared. New York's apartment wasn't as small as this one in Bludhaven but she made do. Having returned from New York after spending a weekend with Kori, Barbara made sure to watch her future husband closely. Barbara wasn't a stupid woman and she certainly was not blind. Ever since Kori had come back, the life she had led with Dick drastically changed. Maybe not in the eyes of others but in her eyes, the world had shook. When he made love to her, she could feel his mind releasing himself to someone else, some other skin, and some other name. 

She had no trouble with Kori because she knew that, like Dick, they wouldn't cross the line in whatever kind of relationship they had at the moment. Dick didn't cheat and Kori didn't as well. It was a moral code embedded into them that everyone knew about. But just because they wouldn't physically pursue something deeper didn't mean she had to stop worrying. And she was worrying a lot.

Dick had always meant a lot to her. He had been the one she trusted the most during the first year as Batgirl, especially when Batman was such as asshole to her. Thanks to Dick, Batman eventually warmed up to her until finally, she was accepted into the Bat family. After Robin had gone with the Titans, she had been left behind to sort out her feelings for a boy so much younger than she was. Back then, she had given it a lot of thought but at the same time she knew nothing could happen without her getting thrown into jail. Yet, after he became Nightwing and he looked so grown up, so tight, so lonely, she felt herself drawn to him instantly. Something about the way he spoke, like a man years older than he really was, that attracted her. It didn't bother her at all that he was also good looking, tall, and with a sexiness that smoldered everything in sight.

For a few years they had been living quite comfortably though in some secret part of her she knew that Dick's mind traveled back in time often to his days as Titans. He had said so himself, that being with the Titans was the best memories of his life. She often wondered if he referred to Kori more accurately. Things grew from then on to the point where Kori, though never mentioned or seen at that time, became a screw loose in their relationship.

Then she showed up.

And Barbara knew that she had to take the reins. She loved Dick with her very soul but she wouldn't marry him if he didn't feel the same way. She prayed to God that he did. Throughout her life, he had always been the first to support her. After she was shot by the Joker, he had been the first one to offer compassion, never pity. He was her rock. He was the solid thing in her life she could count on. They too had a lot of memories together. She had hoped that she helped ease the pain Dick had felt when Kori left. She hoped that he would see that she was the one who had always been there for him, no matter what. These thoughts resounded in her head as he came through the door and started taking off his uniform, Barbara couldn't help but to look at him closely.

"Talk to Bats?" she asked him and he nodded though his eyes were far away. After a while, they finally concentrated on her face and he smiled.

"What's up?" he asked her as he stood naked in front of her and walked to the shower. She followed him with her wheelchair and remained just outside the bathroom door. His outline was hazy as she looked at him take a shower.

"Nothing," she said nonchalantly, "The Birds of Prey have been a real pain in the ass these days. Huntress is driving me insane…"

He listened to her day but said very little himself. It was only when she asked him about his weekend did he answer.

"My weekend? Oh, it was cool. We hung out a lot."

She nodded and waited for him to continue. He didn't but the silence afterwards must have urged him on.

"We went to the movies, to the park, museums, all over New York," he continued, "It was kinda short, though."

Barbara hummed. He stepped out of the shower and gratefully accepted the towel she handed him. He felt he shouldn't be doing this to her. Not now. But the words came to of his mouth as soon as he looked at her.

"We need to talk."

Barbara looked at him tersely.

"I know."

Dick took a long time to change. His mind was everywhere at once and though he willed himself not to look at Babs, he couldn't help it. She truly was beautiful. Her smile always cheered him up, her words always encouraged him, and after Kori left, she had become everything to him. After Dick had changed, he turned to face her. Still in the wheelchair, she patiently waited for him to start. She had no explanations for herself, after all.

"Don't ever think, for a moment, that I don't love you," Dick started and unwillingly, Barbara started to sob gently. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. She suddenly lost her nerve and didn't want to hear it anymore.

"I love you more than you can imagine," he tried over her sobbing but it broke his heart to do this. Never had he felt like such a total ass hole.

"But I can't do this to you. I can't marry you knowing that I might love someone else. It's not fair to you."

He stood guilty in the doorway of their shared apartment, watching her sob quietly in her hands. He hated himself utterly and completely and the thoughts that haunted him went insane in his head. Maybe Batman had been right; maybe he was committing a grave mistake but after a while, her sobbing stopped suddenly and the insanity in his mind stopped as well. She allowed herself a few minutes to control herself before speaking directly at him, her eyes red rimmed but impenetrable.

"I wouldn't want to marry someone who doesn't love me as much as I love him," she said softly, her voice shaking slightly, "I know about you and Kori. I know what you feel for her. So go. I won't stop you."

Slightly taken back by her sudden dismissal, he tried to apologize but she wouldn't hear it. Throwing him out of the apartment was all she did for the time being. Once he left her alone in their bedroom, she broke down for he man whom she had loved more than life itself. But not only that, she sobbed for the last time at the tragedies in her life. Like her disability, this would strengthen her over time. For the time being, though, she let herself weep into the night.

* * *

Awful as it may sound, Richard felt incredibly relieved from a heavy burden. He hadn't lied when he said he loved Babs but that only got you so far in the relationship. Like him, everyone loved Babs because of the type of person she was. Caring, nurturing, sweet, and with kick ass moves, who couldn't fall for her? Yet, his heart remained on the strange alien woman who, like before, had surprised him once more by entering his life unexpectedly. He hoped that he wasn't making a mistake but at the same time he knew it was his mistake to make. Unlike Batman, he didn't want to spend his life pondering 'what if' scenarios. He wanted to take control of his life, even if it meant hurting those he cared about. 

He let a few days pass before entering the apartment once again and emptying it of all his possession. Babs had left that task up to him; he was sure she couldn't handle going through his personal things. Among the hundred pictures of the Titans, the newer ones contained mostly her. It was quite a blow to see the pictures of his smiling face and an arm surrounding Babs. He did look happy with her. He did look like everything was going well. And these past few days had been the exact opposite. He hadn't seen Kori at all and some part of him knew she was avoiding him.

Packing everything into three small suitcases, he left the apartment to move to the one in Bludhaven and start his life anew. Before leaving he left Babs a note, short but straight to the point, apologizing for his error and hoping that someday she could forgive him. Little did he know that Babs did not need to forgive him. As heartbroken as she was, she understood him more than anyone else in the world and though it hurt like hell to let him go (a man she had been with for four or five years after all) she rather see him go than be miserable for the rest of her life. Babs was a strong woman, not weak willed or close minded. The misery would leave one day and she would be able to start again.

His bags in his hands, Richard took a look back at the apartment he had shared with her and breathed in the scent of vanilla that filled the room. Slowly, he closed the door and left.

* * *

Three days after Kori announced her plans to the Titans, Nightwing got the courage to speak with Batman about _his_ plans. It was not too unusual for them to meet on the rooftop of some strange building, especially in Gotham. This time, though Batman had come to him in Bludhaven, not so far away from their hometown. At his request, Batman had allowed himself some time to help his son in whatever quest he decided to embark on. 

"Well?' he asked in a very Batman voice but he tried to keep that to a minimum. Still with the cape and scowl, he could allow himself some time as Bruce Wayne.

"Well, I decided to let her know how I feel (even though my hints haven't been so subtle)" he muttered in a low voice, "But I have a feeling she'll start fighting with me once I tell her what I did so I'm going to have to convince her and—"

"To stay?" Batman asked and he sounded a bit puzzled at Nightwing's words. To Nightwing, this was a sign of the apocalypse so he turned to question him. His grim lips told him all he needed to know.

"What did she do?"

"She's announced to the Titans that she's leaving for New Tamaran. Apparently, her brother found a planet where they could flourish as Tamaranians once more. She's decided to leave tomorrow."

Nightwing expelled a huge breath of air he didn't know he had been holding. He ran a hand through his messy locks as they flew across the cold air of Bludhaven.

"To-Tomorrow?" he muttered and though his eyes were still on Batman, they were out of focus.

"She never told me…"

"Of course not," Batman said gently, "Less of a chance to be stopped."

Nightwing felt a bit of the old anger come back to him. Anger that Kori was planning to leave once more, without him, without a single thought about him.

"I suppose you think you were right about the whole situation," Nightwing said bitterly towards Batman who knew this was coming. .Nightwing tended to get defensive easily, especially when he was hurting.

"I suppose you think throwing away my engagement for some _alien_ who is obviously so unconcerned about my feelings is not only stupid but expected was the first thing that came to mind."

"No," Batman said lightly, his cape billowing against the air, going the same way Nightwing's hair fluttered, "I was thinking that you should go see her and try to convince her out of it."

Nightwing heard the words, they registered in his brain but some part of him didn't understand. Was Batman being understanding?

"Go and talk her out of it. Tell her everything you feel. Maybe she'll reconsider."

And for a small moment, Nightwing remembered the relationship between Batman and Catwoman where a single moment such as the one Batman was referring to could have saved their relationship. Batman had not taken his own advice.

"You accept this?" Nightwing asked after a while, "If she stays with me, you'll accept the whole situation?"

Batman took time to think about it. Barbara had been hurt horribly by Richard, something Batman wouldn't have forgiven if it wasn't for the fact that Richard was his son. He was leaving Barbara for an alien who had given him no real reason to be suspicious of but seeing as she was an alien, that was proof enough for him to not like her as much as Nightwing hoped. She turned him more reckless than what he already was. He became too carefree around her, too happy, too…unlike Batman. And that's when Batman spoke once more.

"I accept it."

Nightwing said nothing but his whole body felt light. He needed to form a plan straight away but there was no better plan than one pulled out of his arse. He would go to San Francisco tomorrow and get her back even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

**Last Chapter is next so this is your time to decide. Do you want a happy ending or not? I feel like crap after reading Harry Potter so I'm leaning toward the sadder ending. You have to tell me in your review though, what ending do you want.**


	43. Chapter 43

Here it is, guys, last chapter. Woot!

* * *

_"I wish I could live life five times over_

_then I'd be in five different cities_

_I'd stuff myself with different delicious things five times each._

_I'd have five different jobs._

_And then, for those five lives,_

_I'd fall in lovewith same person._

_You."_

**---unknown**

Preparing for the departure was one of the hardest things she had ever done. She picked up the remaining things she had from the couple of weeks (perhaps a month or so) she had spent on Earth and though she tried her hardest to not ponder on them too much, she couldn't help thinking back on all the memories she had. Pictures of the Titans beamed back at her but through teary eyes, she couldn't see them so clearly anymore. Old memories kept resurfacing and her heart ached with the need to be with them again, to go back to that time and place where they had all been happy. Like a crumbling warehouse, her life had been devastated by loss and sadness. All she had to show for it was a failed, unwanted marriage, a bad pregnancy, the loss of her entire world, and ultimately to have the love of her life be with someone else.

To suddenly realize that her friends had moved on without her and life continued to happen, she felt like she was stuck in time. The last Titans standing, she was the only one wedged between better times and the present. Her suitcases were heavy with her things but when she looked back at her room, now bare and empty once more, she had to suppress the urge to burst into tears. She had left her curtains closed and she knew that the sun would eventually fade them away. She would never get to see opaque color they would turn and she would never open them again. The realization of something as simple curtains made her choke back a sob. She knew what it meant; another goodbye, another empty room, and another beginning. She was tired of them. She didn't want any more adventures. She wanted to settle down, to be happy, and to be normal. What she got instead was the entire race of her people bearing down on her shoulders.

Or at least in her eyes.

In reality, she didn't need to be there for their rebirth. Her brother was more than willing to do it himself and his abilities were just as astounding as hers. It was her own will that drove her to leave Earth and one very strong reason why. She didn't belong there anymore. Her life on Earth was long gone. Her friends made their lives without her. They were happy with each other and Kori was the outsider yet again. Richard had his future wife and Kori knew she could find no one else like him. Better than to spend her life in failure and in self pity, she chose to do something for her race's good.

And now, with her bags packed and her face clean and healthy, she entered the big, round silver lined dome where a huge Tamaranian ship stood waiting, her brother standing at the top of the stairs waiting patiently for her. Sun shone in streaks along the ceiling and the floor was littered with small lines of yellow sun shine. Along the door, an entire menagerie of people stood waiting for her last good bye.

"Not again," Victor said with a sigh and she went to hug him immediately. Out of all of them, she felt worse for him. She knew she had disappointed him when she decided to leave the Titans. He had expected better things from her after all. But even when she burst into sobs, Victor remained with the conviction that she needed to be strong. She would not disappoint this time.

"Thank you for everything, Vic," she said teary eyed but he merely nodded at her and told her very quietly to take care of herself. No one knew when or if she would be coming back this time. They all knew each other too well to figure out why she was leaving and though they had done their best to convince her that her belief was wrong, she had set her mind to one mode already.

Gar pummeled her as a small kitten and rubbed himself between her breasts, purring softly.

"Perv," Raven muttered and when she hugged Kori, she made sure to crush the small green cat against her own chest. When Gar changed back, he looked beyond dazed, almost deliriously high.

"Bye bye, Kori," Gar whimpered in shock but he quickly shook his head to clear out the images and gave her a bear hug, both of them telling her the same thing: to contact them as often as she could.

The Titans came next. Kori had gotten along well with Wonder Girl, mainly because she had joined Kori in all the things she had wanted to do as a teenager. Being the only girl in the team (she didn't count Raven; she was a leader) Cassie enjoyed Kori's company the most and she was the most sad to see her go. They exchanged goodbyes and though Kori was trying to be strong, not even she could help but give a dry sob as Cassie broke down in front of her.

"I'll miss you. You were a good girlfriend to have."

"Same here," Kori told her and smiled gently. Cassie had yet to learn the hardships that would come her way, including making decision such as Kori's. With that thought in her head, Kori hugged the younger girl as if to give her comfort for all the things she was about to face. Next came Bart and though he had been the one to bombard her most with questions about her and Nightwing, he looked truly sorry to have tormented her so. He apologized and though Kori accepted it, she also waved it away.

"It was priceless material," she muttered at him, "Too good to joke about. I learned that from Beast Boy."

Sticking his tongue out at her, Beast Boy couldn't help but look guilty as charged. Still, Bart looked truly sorry and when he gave her a hug, Kori could feel that even though she didn't understand them as well as she thought she would, the same emotions flowed through them as it did through her. Superboy came next. His hug was a bone crushing one, full of life and strength. He had loosened up nicely to her, no longer so preoccupied of her image as much as of her strength. One small battle between he and she had proven that having half the strength of Superman was nothing compared to her own natural alien strength. If anything, she would be leaving with his utmost respect.

To her surprise, as she tore herself away from Superboy, two most unexpected people entered the dome. One of them was Alfred, the wise foundation of the Batman family. He was the first to receive her with open arms and though she felt rather strange to be saying both hello and goodbye to him at the same time, she felt into his arms when he began stroking her head in the way her old G'norfka used to do. She had conveniently forgotten to mention to everyone, most especially to Richard that Galfore had died in the war. To feel a loving, almost parental touch was enough to make her weak in the knees.

"For the trip, Madame," said Alfred gently, handing her a bag of homemade cookies. Kori laughed through teary eyes and thanked him thoroughly. She turned to Batman who merely nodded at her as a way of good bye. Kori had expected this and by far, his presence meant more to her than he would ever know. She paused for a millisecond but everyone present knew why. It tore them apart to know that she would leave once more and that this time, she would have no good bye from the one person she cared for most of all.

"Well, then—" Kori said with a sigh, "I'm off."

Her bags in her hands and cookies in tow, she waved to them one more time and turned her back to the world she had loved for so long. As if deliberate, the walk to the spaceship waiting for her was bizarrely long and the only sounds were of her heels clicking along the floor. Time seemed to stretch far and beyond the boundaries set up for it; Kori could feel the intensity swimming around her. The ship seemed to never come closer, even as she picked up her pace a little. Was it because some hope still fluttered in her heart?

She had told him no. She had specifically told him that whatever they had back then was long gone. It was a matter of thinking of the future now. As heroes, they knew the consequences to each of their actions. As heroes, they knew about sacrifice and survival and all those things that normal humans had no clue about. That's why they had been chose to become who they were; they were strong enough to handle it. Years from now, she would take a peek into the world she called her own at one point in her life and she would see Richard living happily with Babs, three children in tow, all of them with bright blue eyes that shone like the night sky. Yes, she thought concretely, that's how it was supposed to be.

She walked on with her head held high and she was so convinced that everything in her head was right that she could no longer hear the rumbling of the ship's engine, the clicks of her heels, or the shouts of her name leaving his lips so desperately. But her name started to echo around her, so much that for a moment she thought she might be going insane. With a whip of her hair, she turned around to see Nightwing standing a few inches away from her. He was panting hurriedly, his hair disarrayed and falling like curtains over his eyes. Her hands started to sweat so fast that the suitcases dropped on the floor with a thud. From behind Nightwing, the Titans were cheering him on, smiles planted on their faces.

Meanwhile, Nightwing looked exhausted. His hair stuck to his sweaty forehead and his lips opened to pant softly, his chest heaving, rising and setting like the sun.

"Don't go," he murmured, not having enough breath to say it louder but the conviction behind the words were still as strong as ever.

"Do not start, Richard," she scolded him with a glance of sad eyes. She looked down upon her hands as if they were the most fascinating things in the world and then back up at his.

"Don't go."

His repetition made her look away from his hooded eyes. She hoped he wouldn't remove the mask. It would everything a lot harder for her. She could have valor against Nightwing but Richard was a whole different ordeal. He knew this well, she though angrily, which is why in a single heartbeat the mask hit the floor with a feather's touch. She cursed in Tamaranian, something that made Richard smile fondly.

"Where's Barbara?" she asked, hoping to remind him of his responsibility. His eyes dropped to her suitcases and he didn't dare look at her when he told her. As he had guessed, her eyes would have smoldered right through him. Her beautiful face turned into that of a devil as she yelled her anger out at him. Everything from insults to indignant sounds echoed around them, both in English as well as Tamaranian but Richard didn't care. No, they would fix that with Barbara when the time came. Right now, he needed to make sure that Barbara wasn't hurting for nothing and that this heart wasn't beating out of his chest for a lost reason.

Her rant spent, Richard took this opportunity to take her arms and draw her closer. Instantly, she stiffened and looked at him with wide, shocked eyes. He would have laughed at the saucer like expression if the situation wasn't hanging on a thin wire.

"I need you."

She shook her head, placing her hands on his chest and trying to push him away. She deliberately didn't use her natural strength. Whatever she felt was in big contradiction with what her body responded to and all her body responded to was him.

"You have Barbara," she whispered and inwardly cursed herself for sounding so weak.

This time he shook his head, trying to get what he was saying through her head.

"I need _you._"

Kori sighed, trying to keep her head together. He had this gift of making her believe everything he said because he never lied to her. Everything he said to her was true. Everything he felt for her was honest. But she couldn't go back to a life on Earth. She had no life on Earth. Batman would absolutely abhor her for accepting to break up a future marriage which he was so ecstatic about. She remembered the dress, beautiful and pure and suddenly, thing became easier for her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "truly, I am."

She tried to disengage herself from him but he held on tighter. The strength with which he held her surprised her. Red marks began to form around her arms from the pressure of his fingers. Her strength meant nothing at the moment. With him so close and his scent washing over her like a fresh summer morning, she felt herself go weak in the knees instantly. Her hands moved without her say and came to rest on his broad chest, feeling the thunder that was his heart. Inside her head, she cursed him.

"Do you remember the story of Krishna?" she asked suddenly and took him by surprise. He nodded hesitantly and she smiled at that. How could he forget such an encounter?

"Do you get why I told you the story now?"

Her lips were moving and he could hear every word even though she was whispering so softly she might as well be mouthing everything. He wanted to kiss her right there. He wanted to make her whimper like he had done before. He wanted to claim her as his own as of this very moment. His vague eyes made her answer her own question.

"I will always be your Radha."

A small confession.

Her voice trembled at it. Her whole body shook as he tried to close the space between them. She could feel the pit of her stomach dropping violently and her mouth went dry. Her eyes crossed as she looked at him with a terrified glance as he tried to kiss her lips but with the strength of Hercules himself, she pried herself away from him and sobbed loudly. Did he not know what he was doing to her? Did he want to hurt her?

"I can't," she sobbed, huge tears pouring like rivers from her eyes, "Tamaran—"

"—can take care of itself," Richard finished for her and his eyes blazed with anger, "All they've done is bring you worries and unhappiness. They sold you so many times for '_the better good_' and yet you still return for more. Think about yourself for once, Kori! Think about us!"

Wiping the tears away from her eyes, she picked up her bags as quickly as she could and was surprised that Richard didn't stop her. Half of her wanted him to throw her against something and threaten her to do something stupid if she left. Instantly, she would have conceded to stay and lived happily ever after with her Prince Charming. No such thing happened, though. She turned her back to him and started to walk away, the cookies in her hand rattling against each other.

"I don't want you to be my Radha," he yelled after her, his voice echoing throughout the dome, "I don't want you to be Radha."

His voice followed her and all the pieces of her broken heart broke again.

"I don't want to either," she whispered to herself but over the din of her heels, she couldn't even hear her own words. No one followed her, no one asked for more. She knew Richard was in the same spot she had left him in. She could feel his breath on her lips, so close, so near and yet he was so far away from her. She suddenly smiled. He smelled like the city of Gotham, a smell so intoxicating that it had melted her when they were younger.

He had done everything for her when they were young. Everything she ever wanted, he would go out of his way for her. The way he held her was something she had never experienced before. Her husband could never have matched his touch. His moans never resounded in her ears like Richard's had. The laughter in his eyes never shone as brightly as Richard's had.

Her green eyes rose to see her brother looking at her preoccupied. Her face was streaked with tears and she walked like one condemned. He was a young man but he looked older than his years. War did that to a person. But he was wise and strong, a great leader for New Tamaran. He knew about her relationship on Earth and though he wouldn't say anything, even he knew what her decision should be. Kori slammed her fist against her chest and prepared to board. She dared not look back.

Nearly all the color of her skin had left her, leaving her a pale peach color. Her eyes met her brother's and though he was a fierce warrior when needed to be, he looked upon her with such kindness that Kori felt herself weaken in her will. Her hands began to sweat again and her mind sped up. Her breathing was shallow; anyone else would have worried about her but then again, everyone could see her mind making its decision. Her brother said nothing but that was enough for her. Even he knew what her decision should be.

There are very few times in life when you are stuck between two decisions so hard you wish you could disappear from the face of the Earth. Kori knew the feeling all too well. The pros and cons danced in her head like tribal rituals; the racket in her head wouldn't cease. Richard's voice had called to her several times throughout her life. She had to answer. It was magnetic; she was drawn to it. She had to answer.

Her curls swept around her body as she turned, her bags dropping at the foot of the ship as her body became a blur. Her heels made a loud commotion as she threw all her weight to getting to her fixed location. Her eyes were way past blurry at this point. Tears were caught in the wind around them and fluttered around playfully before finally dropping got the floor, leaving a trail of the desperation Kori felt so deep within her bones. Yet through her tears, she spotted him, a haze outline of outstretched arms and smiling face. Her speed picked up until all she could think of was how to undo the steps she had taken to get to the ship. She wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and rest there, comforted, with the assumption that everything would be ok.

The world seemed to stop turning and there was nothing around them to stop her from reaching him. Yet, he was so far away, so distanced from her but his arms were calling her. His arms were promising to be there whenever she needed. His eyes ran a hot streak through her body and it was with a grunt that she reached him. She landed in his chest, smothering her face against the fabric of his uniform, against the intimate smell of Gotham and the tears continued to flow, a low sad moan releasing from her lips. Strong arms wrapped around her figure, protecting her form from the times ahead as he lifted her off the ground, drawing her as close as humanly possible. There was nothing more to do or to say. Only he registered in her mind. The weight in her heart seemed to finally collapse but it hurt to do so. The walls they had built crumbled and the pain mixed with the utter happiness made her breath catch. Lost in her hair, he too tried to breathe her in, to sink into her and disappear forever. Such despondence to be with her was too much for him. His hands unwound around her and one strong hand tilted her chin upward. She noticed that he too was smiling and his blue oceans were blurry as well. Kori could only think of one thing to say.

"I dropped Alfred's cookies."

The broken sentiment with which she said this made them both laugh, a clean crisp sound that surrounded them in their own private bubble. He shook his head at her words and pulled her into him, his hand caught in between her hair and around the nape of her neck. His kind face closed in on hers and on instinct, Kori closed her eyes, wanting nothing more than what he offered. Their first kiss after so many years was a calm one, not at all like their first. This one was not hurried or angry. They wanted to feel everything about each other; every trembling lip, every soft sigh, every piece of skin that they sought and finally belonged to one another.

He did play his flute for her, through his words and through his need for her and just like she promised, she would always be his Radha. The kiss was a short one, wet and tender. When he broke off the kiss, it was merely to look at her, to ravage her with his eyes. There was such intensity in them that she blushed but couldn't break off the contact. A smile slowly made its way up to her swollen lips, such a familiar one, one that made him rethink all those intimate nights where she had been under him, crushed by his weight, covered in sweat, her eyes hazy with desire and _that_ smile on her face. He pushed her head down into his neck, to surround her once more and overwhelm her senses. She didn't care; she didn't mind being treated like this. Richard was the only one who could make her feel so weak, so unlike herself. Richard was the only one who wasn't' intimidated by her past, her will, her power because he was the only one that made her powerless.

They knew, there and then that though they were finally content with one another, a lot more trouble would come their way. They would never apologize for their love but they would certainly apologize for the heartbreak it brought, not only to Barbara but also to each other. They would start anew. Their whole lives were ahead of them.

And they would finally share it with one another.


	44. After word

**After word**

I have been writing this story for about a year, maybe longer. However, this story has been in my head longer. I'm glad to finally let the plot bunny free. I'm also very lucky to have met so many good people through this story and I would like to thank you for it. To all those who reviewed, well you don't know how much it means to me.

So thanks for everything guys and keep a look out for 'In Paradisium.' I've decided to delete it and start over so that's the next project.

Again, thanks for all the good times and I hope that you all enjoyed the story. I know I did.

Catch ya on the flip side,

ChalakChalak


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